Early Life
Shirley Jackson, a prominent American writer, was born on December 14, 1916, in San Francisco, California. She was the daughter of Leslie Jackson and Geraldine. Her parents, conservative members of the country club set, provided their children with a life of luxury. However, Shirley's childhood was marred by her mother's disappointment, as she believed Shirley was an accidental conception due to a failed abortion. This early emotional turmoil profoundly impacted Shirley, and she channeled these feelings into her later writings.
Educational Journey
Shirley Jackson commenced her educational path at Burlingame High School, excelling both academically and musically by playing the violin in the school orchestra. Later, her family relocated to New York during her senior years, where she completed her diploma at Brighton High School in 1934. Subsequently, she attended the University of Rochester, a private research university, but remained dissatisfied with her classes. Her discontent led her to transfer to Syracuse University, where she thrived both socially and creatively. At Syracuse University, she earned her bachelor's degree in journalism while actively participating in the university's literary magazine. Her first short story, "Janice," was published in the university's magazine.
Personal Life
During her time at Syracuse University, Shirley Jackson met Stanley Edgar Hyman, an American literary critic. Their shared love for literature blossomed into a romance, leading to their marriage in 1940. The couple welcomed four children and fostered a deep passion for reading, amassing a personal library of around 25,000 books.
Passing
Shirley Jackson battled numerous health issues, including asthma, joint pain, severe anxiety, fainting spells, and exhaustion. Severe bouts of depression led her to seek psychiatric treatment. However, her health took a critical turn when she was diagnosed with colitis, compounding her suffering. Despite these obstacles, she continued to publish her works, including her final gothic mystery novel, "We Have Always Lived in the Castle." Tragically, Shirley Jackson passed away unexpectedly in 1965 at the age of 48.
Key Facts about Shirley Jackson
- Shirley Jackson's sudden demise in 1965 was attributed to heart failure.
- Following her death, her unfinished novel, "Come Along With Me," was completed and published by her husband in 1968.
- Her short story, "The Lottery," achieved remarkable success, being translated into dozens of languages and adapted for stage, television, and radio.
- Her gothic mystery work, "We Have Always Lived in the Castle," was named one of the best novels of 1962 by Time magazine.
The Literary Legacy of Shirley Jackson
Early Career
Shirley Jackson embarked on her literary career with the publication of her first short story, "Janice." In 1954, she achieved her breakthrough with her first novel, "The Bird's Nest," followed by two more successful publications, "The Sundial" and "The Haunting of Hill House." Throughout her lifetime, she produced a myriad of short stories, novels, memoirs, and children's tales, showcasing her diverse talent. Some of her notable works include "The Witchcraft of Salem Village," "Famous Sally," "Life among the Savages: An Uneasy Chronicle," "Louisa, Please Come Home," "Come Along with Me," and "The Road Through the Wall."
Distinctive Writing Style
Shirley Jackson occupies a significant place in the world of literature due to her unique style. She deftly portrayed her ideas through her distinct literary qualities, combining foreshadowing, realistic fiction, irony, and the depiction of the malevolent, imprisoning power of her own fears. Her early works often revolved around individuals persecuted and oppressed by narrow-minded communities. However, in her later works, she delved into the "demons of the mind," exploring the evil that lurks within, as evidenced in two of her major works, "The Lottery" and "The Haunting of Hill House." Her literary persona was sharp, powerful, and imposing. While she is renowned for her contributions to horror and suspense, Shirley Jackson also had the unique ability to seamlessly blend horror with humor, grounding terror in the everyday. Her recurring themes include the darker aspects of human nature, death, and evil.
Shirley Jackson's Influence on Literature
Shirley Jackson's indelible mark on global literature endures, and her work continues to be cherished by readers, critics, and fellow writers. Renowned authors such as Stephen King have lauded her, with King describing "The Haunting of Hill House" as one of the "great novels of the supernatural in the last hundred years." Other literary figures, including Joyce Carol Oates, Ezra Pound, and Neil Gaiman, have also extolled her contributions. Her masterpieces have served as a foundation for subsequent generations of writers, offering principles of storytelling that continue to captivate audiences today. Shirley Jackson's ability to articulate her ideas about marriage, power, and love in her writings has left an enduring legacy, with contemporary writers often emulating her style in their pursuit of early success.
Notable Works by Shirley Jackson
- Best Novels: Some of her best works include "The Road Through the Wall," "Hangsaman," "The Bird's Nest," "The Haunting of Hill House," and "We Have Always Lived in the Castle."
- Other Works: Shirley Jackson also made significant contributions to shorter fiction. Notable short stories include "About Two Nice People," "After You, My Dear Alphonse," "All She Said Was Yes," "A Cauliflower in Her Hair," "The Lottery," "It Isn't the Money," and "An International Incident."
Memorable Quotes from Shirley Jackson
"Fear," the doctor said, "is the relinquishment of logic, the willing relinquishing of reasonable patterns. We yield to it or we fight it, but we cannot meet it halfway." (From "The Haunting of Hill House")
"I was pretending that I did not speak their language; on the moon we spoke a soft, liquid tongue, and sang in the starlight, looking down on the dead dried world." (From "We Have Always Lived in the Castle")
"I remember that I stood on the library steps holding my books and looking for a minute at the soft hinted green in the branches against the sky and wishing, as I always did, that I could walk home across the sky instead of through the village." (From "We Have Always Lived in the Castle")
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality." (From "The Haunting of Hill House")