We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: Home

We Have Always Lived in the Castle, a 1962 mystery novel, is the final work of American author Shirley Jackson. The theme of persecution of those who exhibit ‘otherness’ is at the forefront of this novel, explored through the protagonists, Merricat and Constance, who become outsiders in a small town and are reviled by the small-minded villagers. This novel revolves around an unsolved crime: the murder of Merricat and Constance’s family six years earlier. Constance was initially blamed for the poisoning but was acquitted at her trial, leaving the public with no clear answer about who was actually to blame. Some aspects of their fraught family life are revealed through the ramblings of slightly confused, wheelchair-bound Uncle Julian, who lives with the girls.

The story is narrated by 18-year-old Merricat, who practises sympathetic magic and frequently imagines living on the moon. Her sister Constance has an anxiety disorder. They have cut themselves off from the outside world since the family tragedy. They are strongly attached to each other, and their isolation appears to be a defence against living by the rules and norms of outside society. The arrival of Cousin Charles threatens to disturb the way they have been living, so Merricat acts to preserve the power they have over their day-to-day lives. They are shunned by the villagers, some of whom later appear to be penitent and try to make amends.