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Tilikon t1_ixuw0dk wrote

Reply to comment by ACcatlady in The haunting of hill house was so good by AxidentalMe

What really frustrated me was the idea it showed Eleanor's descent into madness. The reader never spends enough time with her outside and before Hill House to develop a baseline for her sanity. In all of the scenes of her nominally before the House, we see her acting somewhat erratic and childishly. That made it difficult for me to follow and believe the house was affecting her. That's just my two scents.

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Tayreads608 t1_ixuxrh9 wrote

I get that complaint totally. I think the broader point is that Eleanor’s striping of identity at the hands of her mother has left her vulnerable to the house. In much the same way that people from abusive households often find themselves in abusive relationships as adults. I would actually argue that Eleanor’s journey to Hill House resembles a walk down the aisle. Its not making her mad it’s preying on the madness that’s already there simply by making her feel wanted. “Journeys end in lovers meeting”

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