Character Analysis
Dr. Montague and various clues scattered across Hill House provide us with the history of this once prosperous family. Hugh Crain was the original owner of Hill House and widower of three wives (all died prematurely). His daughters inherited the mansion after he perished gallivanting across Europe—and then they, too, suffered for years because of it. Abandon hope, ye who enter the Crain family.
The Crain family helps to give the horrors of Hill House a sense of circularity. In other words, the Crains' problems and conflicts are often mirrored in the problems and conflicts of the other characters, especially Eleanor. There are many examples of this in the novel. Here are a few:
- Hugh Crain writes a book informing his daughter how to be a proper lady. He claims he wrote it as an "affectionate and devoted father," but the book really just serves to repress the poor girl (6.15). Although we never see any specifics, Eleanor's relationship with her mother hints at a similar repression.
- The Crain sisters destroy their relationship in an argument over dishes. Yes, dishes. Eleanor and Carrie destroy theirs in an argument over a car.
- The young companion of the older Crain daughter hangs herself on the turret. Eleanor tries to climb to the turret once the house has fully possessed her.
The similarities between past and present suggest that the horrors of Hill House are ever present, timeless. They have happened before and will happen again.
Oh, and if you want to know about the importance of circularity in the text, then pop on over to our "What's Up With the Ending?" section, where we continue the discussion.