We Have Always Lived In The Castle Research Paper

Love In The Castle
The word “love” is tossed around constantly. It is a generic word used to express feelings ranging from respect all the way up to affection. No type of love is the same. One can love several people variously because every type of love is derived from other distinct feelings. In the novel “We Have Always Lived In the Castle” by Shirley Jackson, Mary Katherine reacts poignantly to emotions,such as love, that she encounters. Because she has such intense feelings, Merricat’s adoration for others is associated with three central reactions: sympathy, the need for reliability, and even hatred.
The love that Merricat has for Uncle Julian is controlled by sympathy. From the start of “We Have Always Lived In the Castle,” Uncle Julian …show more content…
Their bond is unbreakable because it is built off of their hatred for others. Love thrives when two people share resentment for another person and/or group. When Merricat and Constance talk about how Merricat poisoned their family, Constance admits “I know. I knew then.” and the two go on to say “I love you”’s (191). Constance knew that Merricat put arsenic in the sugar, and she didn’t stop the poisoning of her family. Since Merricat’s family members were atrocious beings who most likely abused her and Constance, she and her sister despised them. Having the same common enemy developed Merricat’s and Constance’s love because they looked out for each other while they loathed the sight of their so-called family. During Charles’ stay at the Blackwood’s, he tries to destroy Constance's and Merricat’s bond, until Constance starts to despise him along with Merricat. Charles attempts to speak with the girls one more time, but they ignore him. Constance tells Merricat, “I am so happy” after Charles leaves because the person they hate most has disappeared from their lives, and they can continue to live the rest of their lives with the person they love most