Journeys End in Lovers Meeting
Throughout the novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” Eleanor repeatedly uses the phrase, “journeys end in lovers meeting.” This phrase, which comes from Shakespeare’s play, The Twelfth Night, is interesting to use in the context of this story, since the story is nowhere near a love story. It appears as if Eleanor uses this phrase most often in close proximity to when she is talking about Hill House. Throughout the novel, Eleanor is characterized as a woman who doesn’t quite know where she fits in. Feeling lost and guilty after the passing of her mother, Eleanor comes to Hill House and slowly begins to feel a sense of comfort and closeness, not only with the other inhabitants of Hill House, but with the house itself. When I see this phrase, “journeys end in lovers meeting,” I regard it as referring to two people falling in love. Once you have found your mate, or lover, your main journey in life is over. Perhaps when Eleanor makes this statement, she is referring to finally feeling a sense of belonging and significance to someone, that someone being Hill House. Eleanor has finally found a place that appreciates her being and wants her to stay, just like a lover would. Eleanor is aware of this feeling and thus does not want to leave Hill House.
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