We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Book Review

📌Category: Books, Shirley Jackson
📌Words: 586
📌Pages: 3
📌Published: 04 September 2021

The bond between Sisters is supposed to be strong, but what are the boundaries and limitations? Well in, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, the secrets, responsibilities and unique bond between these two characters will prove to be the most powerful Duo. Being isolated within their home, community and themselves will be amongst the hardest challenges the Blackwood sisters will have to face together. As this novel unfolds, these delicate sisters will rightfully hold their familie’s existence, their home, and each other safe, under any circumstances.

Mary Katherine’s (Merricat), describes to the Blackwood family’s home and social life that it presents a dark, isolated and lonely environment. The Blackwood’s home is described to be a “solid foundation” (1) Merricat says “and so our home was built up with layers of Blackwood property weighing it, and keeping it steady against the outside world” The isolating views of the environment around the sisters were created on the family history, the secrets, and of course what’s left to the Blackwood name. All this is held together by one living uncle “Julian”, serves as the only living safety net the Blackwood sisters will need to survive against the village people and their slanderous, harassing and vulgar behaviors. These sisters prove throughout this novel that they each independently will do what it takes to protect themselves, and the Blackwood family estates.

Merricat expresses her feelings of the outside world, mostly through experiences she has in the village. As she is the only one who gets to leave the house. “Someone had to go to the library, and the grocery; Constance never went past her own garden, and Uncle Julian could not” (1) Thus, Making Merricat the only possible target the Village and the people could antagonize and harass. Although Merricat was not the accused person of the Blackwood family poisoning, she is personally persecuted by the village with each isolated, nerve wracking visit for the Blackwood family. Making it truly an unbearable and embarrassing trip each and every time in the village. “The people of the village have always hated us” (4)

Being home for the sisters serves a great deal of isolation and pressure for the Blackwood sisters. While Constance serves and cares for their dying Uncle Julian in a “Woman’s” place, Merricat seems to be underestimated and remains in A place between child and woman. This adds conflict between the sisters making communication and trust hard to come by when cousin Charles Blackwood comes and disrupts their delicate ways and livelihood. Both sisters will feel the pressure behind what is at cost very differently. While Constance says “Charles is not a bad man”, Merricat seems to have the opposite opinion. She feels he poses a threat “…if I could re-seal the protection around Constance and shut Charles out he would have to leave the house. Every touch he made on the house must be erased. Charles is a Ghost” (69) But of course feeling alone within the community and the home Merricat stays silent of her thoughts out of her love and relationship with Constance. As Constance is all Merricat has in this novel.

Both Blackwood sisters are isolated throughout the novel very differently and independently, which serves as strengths and weaknesses both girls will need to keep their secrets safe. With limited outside resources and healthy relationships throughout the village, the Blackwood sisters will need to stick together to overcome their everyday battle to exist in a totally isolated and secluded environment. With their family name and assets at stake both girls in unity will need to overcome their fears of the outside world, and face their reality. Ultimately, the theme analysis to this Novel should be “Isolated” and it’s obvious that Shirley Jackson wanted readers to be sure in, We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

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