We Have Always Lived in the Castle Lesson Plan

The battle between Charles and Merricat escalates in this section. What is Charles’ strategy in this conflict and how does it compare to Merricat’s?

Charles’ world is fixed and static—there is little room for the fluidities of love and imagination. Merricat’s world, on the other hand, is defined by love (for Constance) and imagination. Merricat believes that altering reality will make someone like Charles crazy (“It’s a crazy house”). Without firm ground to stand on, Charles becomes lost and “shut off from what he recognized”—which Merricat hopes is enough to drive him away.

Uncle Julian does his part to alter reality as well—he insists on speaking to Charles as if he...