The Haunting of Hill House is a classic gothic horror novel that is said to have influenced the horror genre that we know and love today. If you loved the TV show and are curious to see the inspiration for the show, then this is the class for you.

"It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, the lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own." Summary from Goodreads.com.

Over the course of four weeks, the teacher will provide relevant background information in relation to the setting of the novel and lead a discussion of the book. The book was written in the 1950s so the teacher will provide relevant historical context and lessons on the gothic and horror genres. Through reading and answering discussion questions in the classroom, we will explore the plot, character development, themes, symbols, and other literary devices. 

The book contains mention of suicide, death, mental illness, and blood. These topics will be handled with a trauma-informed approach. 


The first lesson will be an introduction to the historical context of the novel, as well as to the gothic genre. Students will not start reading the book this week but will watch the lesson for the week and complete the discussion question based on the information provided in the video. 

Activities for the class will include:
A reading guide each week with comprehension questions and activities
Discussion questions posted in the class for students to answer
A weekly comprehension quiz
An optional critical literary analysis essay