Both the film Sunset Boulevard and the novel Haunting of Hill House are set in a gothic setting. I found similarities in how the societies Norma Desmond and Eleanor lived in drove them into their isolated gothic settings. The description of Norma's mansion and the house that Eleanor visits are presented similarly, both displaying gothic characteristics and being isolated from society. In contrast the journey that Norma and Eleanor take is contradictory, as well as their overall goals. The representation of the gothic when they are in there cars relates to their hopefulness that their journey will lead to fulfilment. While Sunset Boulevard and Haunting of Hill House both feature gothic settings and societies impact on the protagonists isolation,
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In Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond was a famous silent film actress. The decay of the silent film era leads Norma to isolation in her gothic mansion on the outskirts of society. Similarly in Haunting of Hill House Eleanor is living in a post World War II society where everyone is engaged in living the American dream. She feels isolated from societies values and feels a sense of freedom at hill house. Hill house similarly to Norma's mansion is isolated from society. The fact that Eleanor had to live in a house with her sister who portrayed the American dream, with a family, house and kids; Eleanor feels secluded and isolated from the norm. In Sunset Boulevard Norma is described as being in a delusional state. Max, Norma's first husband and now housekeeper states that all the doors and windows in her house have no locks because Norma has tried to self harm herself before. We are also told that Max enables Norma's delusional state by writing her fan mail. This is relative to the gothic setting because it shows Norma's insanity when she is entrapped in her mansion. Relatively in Haunting of Hill House Eleanor insanity is at the end of the novel. It is unclear what drove her to insanity, although it could be the isolation she felt in society or the remorse and grief she felt about her mother's death. In both the film and novel the change in society is what …show more content…
Norma's car is an old antique which grasps the gothic trope thoroughly. The use of Norma's car is for her to go down to the film studios to see if they will produce her film. Unfortunately her script is rejected, which is representative of the end to Norma's career. In Haunting of Hill House Eleanor steals a car from her sister in order to leave her home to embark on her journey to hill house. On her journey we begin to sense Eleanor's insanity when she describes a cottage she sees. Throughout the novel she keeps repeating the fact that "[she] could live there all alone [one day and] no one would ever find me," and continues to address her imaginary house throughout the novel (Jackson, 15). Eleanor's death in the ending of Haunting of Hill House could be presented as her gaining the freedom she was longing for by taking on the persona of the house. Both characters journey's in their cars continue to represent the gothic trope the other setting
In Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond was a famous silent film actress. The decay of the silent film era leads Norma to isolation in her gothic mansion on the outskirts of society. Similarly in Haunting of Hill House Eleanor is living in a post World War II society where everyone is engaged in living the American dream. She feels isolated from societies values and feels a sense of freedom at hill house. Hill house similarly to Norma's mansion is isolated from society. The fact that Eleanor had to live in a house with her sister who portrayed the American dream, with a family, house and kids; Eleanor feels secluded and isolated from the norm. In Sunset Boulevard Norma is described as being in a delusional state. Max, Norma's first husband and now housekeeper states that all the doors and windows in her house have no locks because Norma has tried to self harm herself before. We are also told that Max enables Norma's delusional state by writing her fan mail. This is relative to the gothic setting because it shows Norma's insanity when she is entrapped in her mansion. Relatively in Haunting of Hill House Eleanor insanity is at the end of the novel. It is unclear what drove her to insanity, although it could be the isolation she felt in society or the remorse and grief she felt about her mother's death. In both the film and novel the change in society is what …show more content…
Norma's car is an old antique which grasps the gothic trope thoroughly. The use of Norma's car is for her to go down to the film studios to see if they will produce her film. Unfortunately her script is rejected, which is representative of the end to Norma's career. In Haunting of Hill House Eleanor steals a car from her sister in order to leave her home to embark on her journey to hill house. On her journey we begin to sense Eleanor's insanity when she describes a cottage she sees. Throughout the novel she keeps repeating the fact that "[she] could live there all alone [one day and] no one would ever find me," and continues to address her imaginary house throughout the novel (Jackson, 15). Eleanor's death in the ending of Haunting of Hill House could be presented as her gaining the freedom she was longing for by taking on the persona of the house. Both characters journey's in their cars continue to represent the gothic trope the other setting