These books have something in common - they all have buildings that can also be considered characters. These places are so atmospheric, or referred to so often, that they play a pivotal role in setting the mood of the entire story.
Jane Eyre, Jamaica Inn and Rebecca are predominately set in these old, dark, gothic buildings or estates that seem to breathe. The halls creak, the walls feel as if they are watching you and you never know what is lurking around the corner. The main characters also interact with these places as if they are a person. For example, Jane Eyre forms such an attachment to Thornfield Hall that she grows to love the place and what it represents, even though there’s something “off” that she can’t quite put her finger on. Manderly, is permeated with the essence of Rebecca, Mr. de Winter’s dead wife, and it seems as if the whole estate is Rebecca. In Jamaica Inn (probably the creepiest in this line up), the Inn is so desolate, dark, cold and dreary that the building seems to be an extension of Mary Yellan’s sketchy uncle. I love it when an author does this - it creates more depth to the narrative.
Howards End, The House at Riverton and The Priory feature family estates that help to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the story. The characters refer back to these places as something constant and comforting, in the midst of uncertainty and chaos. Yet, at the same time, the subtle changes in the physical homes that take place over time also remind them that change is inevitable, regardless of how much one tries to hold on to a past that was seemingly less complicated and more care-free. This really makes me think back to childhood and how we tend to attached strong feelings towards a place because it is associated with happy childhood memories, yet when we revisit them in adulthood we feel a bit let down, “Was it always so small?” “It seems to be falling apart now…” “Remember when we played hide-in-seek over there?” One becomes wistful, reminiscent, and even a bit pensive.
Are there and books you can think of that also use this device, in which a building can be seen as an active character in a narrative? Is there a place from you childhood that evokes strong memories and feelings?
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