Character Analysis
Carrie (Eleanor's Sister) and Her Husband
After Eleanor's mother's death, Carrie and her husband kind of take over the job of repressing Eleanor. When Eleanor wants to take the car and go to Hill House, they refuse to let her have it, coming up with excuses on the fly. In their minds, they do this to protect Eleanor—after all, who knows what kinds of "experiments" that Dr. Montague will perform once has her alone (1.6)? Um, okay. The reality seems to be that Carrie and her husband don't want their lives put out in the least. Pleasant folks they are not.
Mrs. Sanderson
Mrs. Sanderson is Luke's aunt and the current owner of Hill House. She agrees to let Dr. Montague stay at Hill House under the condition that Luke joins him. She claims it's so a family member will be present for the investigation, but she really wants to "put [Luke] safely away for a few weeks," so he'll stop unburdening her pocketbook of its cash (1.8).
Little Old Lady
This is an old lady Eleanor bumps into in a car garage. After Eleanor agrees to pay her taxi fare, the old woman tells her that she'll "be praying for" her (1.42). Later, when Hill House begins to subsume Eleanor's personality, Eleanor clings to the memory of the old lady's prayers.
The Waitress and the Customer
These are two unnamed characters Eleanor meets in a Hillsdale diner. Eleanor's interactions with them hint at her social difficulties. Did we say hint? We meant display like a museum exhibit.