The September House

Research The Exorcist and identify at least two parallels between that film and this text. What common themes arise? How do both titles use elements of horror to explain and explore deep-seated fears?

Research the various stages involved in The Cycle of Domestic Violence. How do Margaret’s oblique depictions of Hal’s past abuses reflect this pattern? How does this novel depict the perpetuation of the cycle of violence from one generation to the next?

Analyze the characterization of Margaret. In what ways does she both conform to and transcend the stereotypical fictional depictions of a survivor of abuse? Consider the ways in which her coping mechanisms are (arguably) both maladaptive and effective.

How does the narrative emphasize the importance of female friendship as a source of support and strength?

How does the old Victorian house itself function symbolically within the novel? What does it represent, and how does the author use this setting to address domestic violence and spousal abuse in an indirect fashion? Be sure to break the house down into different “sub-settings,” and analyze the significance of each one.

Analyze at least three instances in which Margaret proves to be an unreliable narrator? What impact does her inaccurate portrayal of her own family history and psychological distress have on the narrative as a whole?

Why does the author use horror-based elements to obscure the details of family dysfunction and violence that permeate the novel?

Discuss Katherine’s characterization. Does she embody the perpetuation of the family’s dysfunction, or does she forge her own path? Or perhaps her story, like Margaret’s, is far more ambiguous.