We Have Always Lived in the Castle: Text Structure

[@lachlanbrien3061]

These videos are really helpful for WHALITC thank you!

[@AimeeShattock]

Thanks Lachy! Glad you're liking them!

[@SWenglish24]

Thanks for this it's very helpful. But I didn't understand the Coursehero notes slide. Hasn't Merricat always been her sister's keeper keeping world at bay going to village, shielding from doctor? Also : What is the extreme of the split feminine nature? I can see Constance as nurturing earth mother. What's the other extreme? I don't understand :Merricat as 'antic and independent creator' what does that mean?

[@AimeeShattock]

Great questions! I agree with you that Merricat has always been her sister's keeper, however, at the beginning of the novella, Merricat's protective actions are more about keeping people away and managing threats to their well-being. It's an active defence. By the end of the novella, the sisters’ world has become even more isolated and self-contained. Merricat’s role as the protector has evolved. Now, she is not just keeping the outside world away; she has transformed their home into a fortress where the sisters can live uninterrupted by any external forces. Her protective actions are now about maintaining this new, isolated existence. In terms of the split feminine, it's a concept used in literature and feminist theory to describe how different aspects of femininity are often divided into distinct roles or characters. The theory suggests that in some stories, feminine traits and roles are split between two or more characters. Instead of one character embodying a full range of feminine qualities, these qualities are divided. For example, one character might represent nurturing and domestic roles, while another represents independence and rebellion. In We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Merricat and Constance are examples of this split. Merricat represents the more rebellious and unconventional side, while Constance represents the nurturing and traditional side. Together, they embody a fuller spectrum of feminine traits but remain distinct from each other. Merricat is the 'antic and independent creator' in that she displays a rebellious streak through her unconventional behaviour, such as performing rituals, engaging in magical thinking, and defying societal norms. This split can also reflect the dual aspects of Shirley Jackson herself: on the one hand, she was the stay-at-home wife and mother who conformed to the 1950s expectations of women, and on the other hand, the educated, working author who defied stereotypes through her writing and supported her family financially.