We Have Always Lived in the Castle
- Genre: Fiction; suspense/thriller; contemporary gothic horror
- Originally Published: 1962
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 920L; grades 9-12; college/adult
- Structure/Length: 10 chapters; approx. 146 pages; approx. 5 hours, 30 minutes on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: Eighteen-year-old Mary Katherine Blackwood (“Merricat”) lives with her sister Constance and Uncle Julian in the family estate. When a potential heir to the family fortune comes to visit, Merricat’s peculiarities—and the fate of the rest of the family—are gradually revealed.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Mental health concerns; agoraphobia; obsessive-compulsive disorder; witchcraft; murder
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Womanhood and Domesticity
- Misunderstood Genius
- Small-Town Class Relationships
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:
- Develop an understanding of the social context, including women’s issues that influence the novel’s plot, characterization, and themes.
- Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections to the text’s theme of Small-Town Class Relationships.