The Haunting of Hill House

In The Haunting of Hill House, there are several themes that are generated throughout the book. The idea of reality strikes me the most when reading the book. I come to question the reality that Eleanor and the rest of the group face in Hill House. I feel that there are moments where reality is between the fine line of reality and illusion. It seems the characters themselves struggle with this idea of reality. I do not deny that the characters experience it, but I question the fact if it is real or just a mere illusion they experience. Throughout the book we see instances where Eleanor and the others experience these supernatural occurrences in Hill House. One of these instances we come across is when “Help Eleanor Come Home Eleanor” is scrawled on the wall in blood in Theodora’s room.  I question the fact that is it possible for walls to bleed blood especially letters on its own. The reality is it is not possible, but a mere illusion yes.  Illusion in acts the same form of concept of reality, but more transcend beyond what is real.

This close relationship between reality and illusion reminds me of the play Six Characters in Search for An Author, in which reality is questioned by characters that relive their roles every day. When see the questioning of reality through the Father figure in the play, at first one feels confused until he explains his point of view. In the play, the Father expresses his concerns about the misuse of the word reality as an actor describes acting as an illusion of reality. The Father explains that he and his fellow characters live reality because they live in a fix for eternity as opposed to illusion the actors and manager live. The actors and manager are subjected to time and their reality is always on the brink of leaving because they change. The characters can never change who they are and their characteristics therefore they have reality. But I feel that the Hill House serves as an illusion in many ways.  Hill House changes the reality within its walls and distorts the reality of the people living inside, giving a sense of an illusion.