Fear In 'We Have Always Lived In The Castle'

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Fear is an unexplainable feeling that is caused by a certain someone or something. Fear plays a significant role in the novel We Have Always Lived in The Castle. With tiny details she gnaws away at things that seem unimportant until the ending of the book. As Shirley Jackson first introduces Merricat, making the reader love this strange, broken girl, then revealing her true nature, one will see how everyone fears Merricat. Constance’s fear of Merricat, the fear that the villagers have for the Blackwoods, and Merricats fear of being without Constance, shows it is evident that fear caused all the major issues in this book. Like all compelling characters, Merricat is both strong and weak, both villain and hero. If you spoke to her, she might sprint off into the woods with her cat Jonas, but if you anger her she might set one’s room on fire. Merricat would be impossible to live with, which is why Constance fears her. As some may say Constance is weak and is still paralyzed by the townspeople, Charles their cousin, comes to town to challenge her ways and is tested to see if she will follow him into the outside world or be subsumed into Merricat’s fantasy. As the novel goes on, the reader learns that Merricat killed her whole family except Constance. This shows that Merricat …show more content…

The Blackwoods are feared and hated by the Villagers, who simultaneously rescent the Blackwoods privilege, and the transgressions against the mysterious poisoning. Fear goes both ways in this novel, the Blackwoods have blocked off everyone except Helen Clarke, which provides a safe haven for them all. When Merricat goes into town the reader can see both sides of fear between the two of them. Near the ending of the book, the Blackwoods secluded world is torn apart after the fire is started by Charles cigar. this gives the Villagers a chance to finally pass through the fence and put their fear into frustration, by destroying the

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