We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Below is some information about passages in the book that I found very intriguing and you can also find Merricat's character profile. It is a book with several gothic elements, you can also find these below. As a final note, you can also find some more information about the complex relationship between Merricat and Constance here.

Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?

Oh no, said Merricat, you'll poison me.

Merricat, said Connie, would you like to go to sleep?

Down in the boneyard ten feet deep!

I was pretending that I did not speak their language; on the moon we spoke a soft, liquid tongue, and sang in the starlight, looking down on the dead dried world; I was almost halfway past the fence.

Those children are singing a very unkind and cruel song towards Merricat and they certainly didn't make that from scratch. There has always been a lot of gossip about the family, those gossips are now sung by the children as an innocent song. The children should play with each other and not sing a bully song towards Merricat. Probably the children don't realise the impact of such a song. Despite the fact that Merricat was still a child at that point, they treated her unfairly and they publicly humiliated her. She wants to be in a safe place with no worries, but instead of that she is with those terrible children, who don't have the tiniest bit of respect towards her. I think even though she might not show it, she was very hurt by that song. Those things leave scratches on the way in which she will live her life. She wants to escape to the moon, because she feels like that's more like a home. This shows that she really likes to be isolated from the world. 

Merricat is a very remarkable person. She says a lot of absurd things and she repeats situations multiple times in her head. Even though she seems like a nice weird person, she also has as an extremely cruel side. I didn't expect something so brutal and even barbaric to come from her. In particular the way she wishes everyone was dead is a very vicious perspective. She has a rather absurd way of thinking, especially when we talk about her routines in the garden, for example. She buries things in the garden, to protect herself from the outside world. She wants to be safe in the garden and even though in her head it seems like she is secure, we all know that burying things isn't a way of sheltering her from the outside. She fears change, which is why she is very used to routines. That's how she feels protected. As a consequence, I would like to know what would happen if something changed in her routines. An interesting prospective is also her belief in magical powers. She thinks that she has magical powers, that are going to save her from the cruel world. She literally lives in her own world, were she thinks that she will always be safe. She wants to have the feeling of protection and that's why she shuts herself out from the outside. 

I had intended to bury it, but I was sorry when I thought how long it had been there in the darkness in the box in our father's drawer, and I thought that it had earned a place up high, where it could sparkle in the sunlight, and I decided to nail it to the tree where the book had come down.

'That's my brother's gold watch chain,' Uncle Julian said, leaning forward curiously. 'I thought he was buried in it.' Charles' hand was shaking as he held it out; I could see it shaking against the yellow of the wall behind him. 'In a tree," he said, and his voice was shaking too. 'I found it nailed to a tree, for God's sake. What kind of a house is this?' 'It's not important,' Constance said. 'Really, Charles, it's not important.' 'Not important? Connie, this thing is made of gold.' 'But no one wants it.'

The watch is of great importance to Merricat because it belonged to her father. As a result, the watch symbolises the loss and absence of her father. Merricat also wants the watch to be able to shine in sunlight, in a high place. This shows that she thought the watch was very important, as she now wants it to be seen. This passage shows well, how obsessed Charles is with money. He values the watch immensely because it has so much worth. He does not understand why Constance does not mind Merricat nailing the watch to the tree. Unlike Charles, the sisters attach no importance to money at all; for them, the most important thing is that they are all happy. For Constance, Merricat's happiness is most significant. For Merricat, the watch is a way to make her feel safe again, after the book fell off the tree. Charles finds this absurd and therefore tries to get Constance to take a different perspective on things. He wants her to look at their situation with a different view, this changes Constance's personality. Merricat lives in an ideal fantasised world, which Constance does not allow her to talk about anymore. Her place on the moon where she wants to go so badly is no longer to be talked about. This is an influence Charles has had on Constance. You can therefore link this with cruelty. This shows how cruel Charles was towards Merricat. He cares nothing about the family, only about the money and the gold watch.

Many Gothic elements are present in the novel. For instance, there is an air of mystery throughout the book, about the murder of the family. Isolation is also an important element in the book. For instance, the family's isolation from the outside world is definitely visible. They isolate themselves from everything and everyone, leading to much speculation among the villagers about the family. The two sisters are even disowned by the villagers, adding to the sense of separation and isolation. Sometimes a spooky atmosphere is also created by the house, as it is very old and is portrayed as a scary house by the villagers. But this is not always so, often the house is also presented as cosy and warm. A non-Gothic element of the book is the daily life of the family. They do everyday things like cooking and household chores. They have a certain routine in which everything happens. Merricat is different from the rest, she is a maverick. She lives in her own world and has a cruel side. This could also be a gothic element of some kind of isolation.

Then, through the laughter, someone began, 'Merricat, said Constance, would you like a cup of tea?' It was rhythmic and insistent. I am on the moon, I thought, please let met be on the moon. Then I heard the sound of dishes smashing and at that minute realized that we stood outside the tall windows of the dining room and they were coming very close.

Merricat wants immensely to be on the moon, especially at the moment when they start singing the song. Her desire to be on the moon shows that she longs for escape and isolation from the current situation. The sound of smashing plates brings Merricat back to reality, as she realises they are outside the dining room and that the noise is coming from inside. This sudden realisation suggests a sense of danger, as her safe space is now being invaded by strangers. The song reveals the intense hostility between the Blackwood family and the villagers. The song is a reminder of the Blackwoods' isolation in the community and the prejudices against them. Merricat realises that she cannot rely on the protection of the walls and must face the cruelty of the outside world. We see here that Merricat is really cutting herself off from reality; the underlying tension between Merricat and the villagers also surfaces.

Merricat and Constance have a very complex relationship with each other. Merricat is very attached to Constance, who protects her and always cares for her. Merricat and Constance had a difficult past and this has affected their relationship a lot. For instance, the death of their family may have caused the two sisters to become closer. Merricat is very protective towards Constance. She is willing to do anything to protect her and she loves her immensely. Merricat also looks up to Constance, she sees her as a true role model. However, Merricat's love for Constance can also be possessive and controlling. She doesn't want anyone to come between them and is jealous of anyone who tries to get close to Constance. She is very afraid of losing her, which is why she is so possessive over her. Constance is more restrained in her feelings towards Merricat. She is thankful for Merricat's company and loves her sister very much, but also sees that Merricat's behaviour is sometimes problematic. Constance is caught between her love for Merricat and her desire for a more normal life. Despite their many differences, they love each other dearly, no matter what has happened to them or awaits them.