Nursery Door

Lore & Background

The nursery door is the entrance to the room where Abigail Crain lived for a time before moving to the tower room, where she lived for the rest of her life. The cold spot is discovered by Dr. Montague inside the nursery itself, not specifically at the door. The door is not a supernatural portal or gateway to the afterlife; it is simply a door to a room where strange events occur. The door does not appear without hinges or handles in any context described in the novel. Eleanor Vance is drawn to the nursery despite warnings that it is likely the centre of the disturbances. On the final night, the banging sounds are heard throughout the house, and Dr. Montague does not pursue the sound to the nursery. The door is a focal point for the house's haunting, drawing characters toward it and contributing to the psychological tension.

In Their Own Story

The group explores the house, discovering a huge marble composite statue, supposedly of St Francis curing lepers, which seems to echo the string of characters who have lived in the house (Hugh Crain, Abigail and the companion), but also resemble Dr Markway, Luke, Theo and Eleanor. Dr Markway discovers a cold spot outside the nursery room. Despite these occurrences, Eleanor feels an affinity to Hill House. That night, on Markway's insistence, Theo moves into Eleanor's room, and they fall asleep in the twin beds pushed together. Eleanor is awakened by the voice of a man speaking and a woman laughing. Fearful, she asks Theo to hold her hand. As she hears the sound of a girl crying, she shouts. Theo awakens to find that Eleanor has moved from the bed to the couch, and Eleanor realises it was not Theo's hand she held. The following day Theo confronts Eleanor about her feelings for Dr Markway, and Eleanor lashes back at Theo for being 'unnatural,' implying either Theo's psychic ability to know what Eleanor is thinking or her attraction to Eleanor. Dr Markway's sceptical wife Grace arrives with plans to join the group for the duration of the investigation, to the consternation of Eleanor, who had begun developing feelings for Markway while unaware that he was married. Grace demands a room in the nursery despite her husband's warning that it is likely the centre of the disturbances. That night in the living room, the group experiences loud banging and an unseen intruder attempting to force its way into the room, causing the door to bulge inward. The banging moves toward the nursery, and Dr Markway pursues it as does Eleanor by using a different exit from the living room. Mrs Markway has disappeared and then Eleanor splits off from the group. Her instability worsens as she enters the library and climbs the spiral staircase, followed by Markway, who tries to coax her down despite the stairwell coming loose from the wall. At the top, Eleanor nearly falls to her death whilst glimpsing Grace above her. Markway grabs her and saves her. No-one believes she saw Grace.

Reader's Guide

The nursery door is a significant location in the film, serving as a focal point for supernatural activity. It is first noted when Dr. Markway discovers a cold spot outside it. Later, Grace Markway insists on staying in the nursery, despite warnings that it is the centre of disturbances. On the final night, the banging sounds move toward the nursery, drawing Dr. Markway and Eleanor. The door is associated with the house's haunting and contributes to the psychological breakdown of Eleanor, who feels an affinity to Hill House. The door is a symbol of the house's power and the characters' vulnerability.

Did You Know?

• The cold spot is discovered by Dr. John Montague inside the nursery itself, not specifically at the door.
• Eleanor Vance is drawn to the nursery despite warnings that it is likely the centre of the disturbances.
• On the final night, the banging sounds are heard throughout the house, and Dr. Montague does not pursue the sound to the nursery.
• Abigail Crain lived in the tower room, not the nursery, for the rest of her life.
• The novel was published in 1959 by Viking Press, and the story is told from the perspective of Eleanor Vance.