We Have Always Lived in the Castle society & value guide
Midcentury New England prizes property and conformity, dividing “clean and rich” families from poorer villagers. These values breed gossip and fear, keeping the Blackwoods behind locked gates while public judgement turns ordinary contact into conflict.
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If a family says the town has “always hated us,” can that community still claim to be fair? In this novel, gossip, class pride and fear make the Blackwood family both powerful and isolated. Are the villagers protecting their community, defending its traditions, or punishing anyone who refuses to fit the expected shape?
The full We Have Always Lived in the Castle guide brings together scenes, characters, themes, and verified quotations.
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