The Haunting of Hill House Sacrifice Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"There are no secret chambers in Hill House," the doctor said with finality. "Naturally, that possibility has been suggested before, and I think I may say with assurance that no such romantic devices exist here. But tomorrow—" (3.64)

Dr. Montague does a bit of sacrificing himself. You know those flights of fancy you might get from reading all those romantic, Gothic novels? Kick those to the curb, because Hill House is nothing like that.

Quote #5

"I had to look for weeks before I found my little stone lions on each corner of the mantel, and I have a white cat and my books and records and pictures. Everything has to be exactly the way I want it, because there's only me to use it; once I had a blue cup with stars painted on the inside; when you looked down into a cup of tea it was full of stars. I want a cup like that." (3.203)

Eleanor sacrificed her dreams for her mother. Now, desperate to have dreams again, she fills it with little tidbits from her journey to Hill House. She even takes that little girl's cup of stars.

Quote #6

"Come, of course," Eleanor said, looking at her own face in the mirror. You deserve it, she told herself, you have spent your life earning it. Theodora opened the door and said happily, "How pretty you look this morning, my Nell. This curious life agrees with you."

Eleanor smiled at her; the life clearly agreed with Theodora too. (5.5-6)

Eleanor hopes her sacrifices will yield dividends at Hill House—the love kind of dividends. Does sacrifice lead you to love? Does love happen because you're the kind of person who makes sacrifices?