“Literature is my Utopia” ― Helen Keller
Review of Room by Emma Donoghue:
I wrote this review on the book, Room, by Emma Donoghue. It was in one of my first year modules, ‘Forms of narrative’, which looked at the way novels and texts were written. I really enjoyed this book and the film therefore, I have written a short review on them.
When Room, published in 2010, was placed on a module in year one at YSJ I was very excited to read and then re-read this book as I have never come across such a distressing storyline. For Donoghue to have decided to have it narrated by a 5 year old boy is just genius as it shows the disturbing side to Ma’s experience whilst emphasising the innocence and youthfulness of this little boy. It brought tears to my eyes, brought suspense as to the escape plan and it was difficult but intriguing to read how they learnt to adapt into the real world with their family.
Throughout the novel, we learn how much Jack is taught by his Ma, who is adamant that Jack will have an active, happy and normal childhood even though they are trapped in one room. Ma’s decision to tell the truth to Jack about the outside world and her kidnap emphasises the horrific situation they are both in but Jack’s reaction of fear and unbelieving indicates his innocence and happiness of being in this room as it is all he has known. Jack is a lovable and funny character who seems to have tugged on the heartstrings of everyone who has read the novel; I know he has with me.
Just after I finished the book, my friend and I went to see the film at the cinema. What I love about some film adaptations is when they stick almost completely to the plot of the novel, which is what the film Room did. It gave the same emotion through Jack’s narrative, it emphasised their experiences in the room, and gave the same uncertainty of their lives and how they would escape. Furthermore, the success of both the novel and the film was shown through the Oscar awards when Brie Larson won Best Actress for her portrayal of Ma, emphasising how even though it is such a horrific and disturbing storyline, the way it was narrated and performed was extremely effective.
By Sophie Richardson
Review of The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, from the Gothic & Horror module:
No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.
Different books are attractive to literature students in different ways. Everyone has their favourite books which they enjoy reading, but subjecting those stories which are dear to your heart to criticism, which can often be harsh or unfavourable, isn’t always fun. On the other hand, no one enjoys reading the book that they hate, but interrogating why you hate them and making them the subject of your own unfavourable criticism is surprisingly enjoyable. The ideal scenario, I find, is to find a book that fits neither category. If you like a book enough for it to interest you but have enough issues with it to create a lively discussion, then you’re likely to get the most out of studying it. For me, Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House fits that definition perfectly.
This is a gothic novel in the haunted house tradition, just as you would expect from the title. Gothic texts are always open to a range of readings – there’s always the question of what it is that’s doing the haunting and what this shows about the protagonist’s mental state – but The Haunting of Hill House has more possibility within its pages than most. It centres on four main characters – Dr. Montague, whose work involves ‘the analysis of supernatural manifestations’; Theodora, an artist who appears to possess a telepathic ability; Luke, the heir to Hill House; and Eleanor, a shy young woman desperate to experience the world again after dedicating eleven years to caring for her invalid mother. These characters are brought together as part of Dr. Montague’s investigation into haunted houses, and together they live in Hill House, waiting for something to happen.
Surprisingly for a haunted house story – even one which clearly personifies the house in question – the main focus of this book is character. This is very much about the effect that Hill House has on people, rather than necessarily exploring why the house produces that effect. Jackson’s depiction of Eleanor in particular is quite extraordinary. Even though this novel is written in third-person, we are given access to Eleanor’s thoughts in the narrative. We see all of her anxieties and her contradictions, signifying her internal struggle. It soon becomes clear that Eleanor is a troubled and possibly deranged woman, yet it’s impossible to simply dismiss her as mad. Is she actually being haunted, or is this all in her head? Is her behaviour simply the effect of Hill House, or is it the manifestation of something that Eleanor has repressed for years? It’s impossible to say. In some moments, it’s even impossible to tell where Eleanor ends and Hill House begins. Nothing about this characterisation is straightforward, and that, for me, is the individual highlight of this book.
Between Eleanor’s gradual downfall and the sheer creepiness of the house, this book certainly provides its promised haunting atmosphere. There are times when ghosts feel real and material, with multiple characters seeing and hearing the same signs, but question marks always remain. How, after all, are we supposed to know what’s real and what’s not when Hill House distorts everything that we believe to be normal? Everything in the house is slightly wrong, from the architectural design to the atmosphere it produces. In The Haunting of Hill House, it’s impossible to know who and what you can trust, thus it maintains a sense of terror throughout.
Yet, for all its promise, The Haunting of Hill House never quite seems to get anywhere. Throughout the text Jackson provides suggestions, but always withholds the answers. The pervading sense of ambiguity makes this novel wonderful to study because everyone finds their own answers when none are given, but, when read for pleasure, it feels slightly dissatisfying. As I finished this book, my overarching feeling was one of disappointment. I feel that now, after discussions and research have prompted me to find my own meaning in the text, my initial feelings of dissatisfaction have been plugged, but I still don’t feel that this book fully achieved its goal. However, the glorious thing about ambiguous endings is that everyone takes something different from them, so, whilst I was underwhelmed, others may have found all the answers they were looking for in the openness of the ending.
In being so filled with unfulfillable possibilities, The Haunting of Hill House makes for an intriguing book to study. With ghosts as its subject, nothing can be proven or said for certain, so every individual interpretation can effectively be taken as a correct answer. Whilst I would never classify this book as a favourite, my esteem for it grows with every new read, because every time I look at it again another interpretation arises. The possibilities here are endless, and that’s the most important thing for a book on a literature course.
Hill House itself, not sane, stood against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, its walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.
By Elisha Wise.
Guest Speakers:
YSJ invites a number of guests to its university to give speeches on their careers, interests, charities and their own writing. The speeches are always advertised well throughout the university and through email, and are free events for all students and non-students, usually with free refreshments (sometimes a glass of wine!) and food. YSJ is involved in a range of festivals and projects, especially the York Literature Festival which brings a large number of people to the university to promote their own literature. Guest speakers can be very helpful for students as it is possible that authors come in and their book is on one of your module’s reading list, such as Andy Owen, who wrote and came to promote East of Coker, which was included on the ‘Conflicting Words’ module for second years. The lectures that are given by various authors allow students to get further information on the different careers that link with English Literature
By Sophie Richardson