From Newsgroup: rec.arts.books

I just reread Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In the Castle, and
I have thoughts.

I wonder what the family life was like before the tragedy. Merricat sits
and imagines everyone catering to her, always putting her first, and at
least one reader believes that this is based on her memories, that her
family really did teach her that everyone else should bow their heads to
the most adored child.

Constance seems to think so, but then again Constance is *everyone's*
doormat. She jumps to Uncle Julian's bell, too. Another reading might be
that Merricat was often ignored in favor of her beautiful older sister
and younger brother so much like his father, and Merricat now fantasizes
the family life she wishes she'd had.

Speaking of the most adored child, it's interesting that Merricat is so determined to remain a child, though she's a young woman of eighteen.
She is "not allowed" to do this and that. Some of the restrictions
prohibit things she was surely allowed to do even at twelve, so she may
have regressed herself to a younger age than she was during the tragedy.

There's also the question of Charles. There are indications that he is money-focused, but given that he's the only one in the family who has
ever known privation, I can't help thinking he's just practical. It *is*
goofy to let Merricat bury the equivalent of hundreds of dollars. It
*is* stupid and crazy to let the entire family fortune burn. He is
completely correct that Constance works like a dog, Merricat needs
discipline, and Julian needs either more independence or professional
care. I'm not convinced he's a mere predator. I think he turned up
hoping for a handout, then realized his beautiful, psychologically
trapped cousin genuinely needed help with the craziness.

Merricat likes to *bury* things, putting them in the earth to
deteriorate. Constance likes to *grow* things, coaxing life from earth
and valuing it too much to throw it away.

Sanity was knocking at Constance' door. The visit of a normal cousin was helping her see that their household was badly askew. Merricat lashed
out to drive away the voice of reason, and once again tragedy struck.
Even so, despite literally *all* of this being 100% Merricat's fault, Constance protects her and does whatever she says. They live on canned
food in a vandalized hulk with a burned-out upstairs, and Constance
still does whatever Merricat wants.
--
Doctor Who: The Mind of Evil (Third Doctor)
Watch party on Saturday, 1:00 PST https://discord.gg/mw4QzndY?event=1408952064645795852
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2