🚨Warning: Spoilers ahead!🚨
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Netflix’s new show The Haunting of Hill House has basically taken over the internet.
The series follows the Crain family — in the past and present — as they deal with the repercussions and terrifying events that happened while living in their old (haunted) home, Hill House.
While the show does have a series of creepy ghosts that haunt the Crains — I’m looking at you Bent-Neck Lady — the show is ultimately a story about grief, trauma, and loss.
So, like so many people I’ve become obsessed with the show and just want to keep uncovering new things about it.
I was scrolling through Tumblr the other day when user cagedbirdsong pointed out this incredible detail that completely BLEW MY MIND.
Tumblr / Via cagedbirdsong.tumblr.com
In case you need a refresher, the five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
So, Steve would be denial.
Netflix
Steve is constantly refusing to believe what actually happened at Hill House when he was younger. Also, Steve is in denial that Nell’s death could’ve been caused by anything paranormal.
Shirley would be anger.
Netflix
Even when she was younger, Shirley is angry about everything that happens around her. One of the main plot points with Shirley is that she’s holding a grudge against Steve, who decided to write a book about Hill House. She’s also very angry that Nell would kill herself after what happened to their mother.
Theo would be bargaining.
Netflix
With her “power of touch,” Theo is constantly bargaining for a better outcome. When she finds out that Nell is dead she tries to rationalize why Nell would even go back to Hill House. Theo even explains to Shirley how she felt nothing after touching Nell’s body and she was pleading with the universe to let her feel again.
Luke would be depression.
Netflix
After finding out Nell is dead, Luke immediately starts feeling like he can’t live without his twin sister. At one point, Luke even tells Nell’s ghost, “I don’t know how to do this without you.” He feels her death the hardest and it correlates to depression being the hardest of the five stages of grief.
And finally, Nell would be acceptance.
Netflix
Upon returning to Hill House before her death, Nell accepts her fate and accepts the idea of being reunited with her mom. When all of the Crain siblings eventually see Nell inside the Red Room she tells them, “I loved you completely. And you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti.”
That’s right, not only do the Crain siblings represent the five stages of grief, but they are born in the order you experience them — Steve, Shirley, Theo, Luke, and Nell.
Anyway, my mind is BLOWN and I’m going to go start another rewatch of this incredible show!
If you are thinking about suicide or just need to talk to someone, you can speak to someone by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by texting HOME to 741741, the Crisis Text Line. Suicide helplines outside the US can be found here.