Discussion Questions for the first half of Hill House

 1. Consider the first sentence of The Haunting of Hill House: ""No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood for eighty years and might stand for eighty more."Do you believe that a house can have a form of consciousness? How might that be perceived, or what effect might it have, on its inhabitants? Can you think of other examples (these need not be "haunted" houses)?

2. Consider this quote: "Don't do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again; don't do it; and the little girl glanced at her, and smiled a little subtle, dimpling, wholly comprehending smile, and shook her head stubbornly at the glass. Brave girl, Eleanor thought; wise, brave girl.” Why do you think these words have had such a powerful impact on so many readers? What does the cup of stars signify to you?