a lonely young woman struggling toward maturity. She is a social misfit, not beautifulenough, charming enough, or articulate enough to get along ill with other people, too introverted and awkward. Inshort, she does not fit any of the feminine stereotypes available to her"(146). In the end, very few of her protagonistsachieve much of a victory over oppression. Indeed most of Jackson's protagonists are emotionally violated and muststruggle desperately to overcome their estrangement and dislocation, and most of them fail. The novel,"Hangsaman"(1951), was the first of her psychological novels. She had dealt with problems of the mind in her shortstories, but this novel was her first sustained study of mental aberration, in this case schizophrenia. "Miss Jackson'slove of mystery and ambiguity is evident in this novel, for the reader receives only piecemeal information as Natalie seeit. There are gaps, therefore, in his knowledge. Suspense builds, and the mystery deepens with the appearance of Tony;but, even by the end of the novel, there is confusion as to who Tony is and as to what has actually taken place. Only atthe end of the narrative does the reader discover that Tony is and has been a product of Natalie's imagination or,technically, another aspect of Natalie's self" (Friedman, 86). In Jackson's last three novels, "The Sundial"(1958), "TheHaunting of Hill House"(1959), and "We Have Always Lived in a Castle"(1962), "the gothic house is a prominentfeature. It serves not just as the focus of action or as atmosphere, but as a force or influence upon character or areflection of character... The house not only reflects the insanities of its occupants, but serves as a fitting microcosm ofthe madnesses of the world"(Park, 22). In "The Sundial", John G. Park explains that "it is a nicely woven novel, whereimagery and technique work together well. Through the use of various motifs, such as the house imagery, references totime, Jackson is able to ...
