We Have Always Lived In The Castle Mary Katherine Essay

Mary Katherine, a young adult with sociopathic behavior, displays her disorder with frequent outbursts, lack of remorse and disregard for social norms throughout the novel We Have Always Lived in The Castle by Shirley Jackson. Her sociopathic tendencies are constant in the novel with mention that this behavior has been consistent since she was a child. Mary Katherine progressively shows her volatile actions in the story and her actions cause way to a multitude of problems for anyone in her path, especially her close older sister Constance. Her personality disorder coupled with her schizotypal disposition is inherent and not due to being spoiled or temperamental despite her being raised wealthy in a large household.
Early on the reader is aware that Mary Katherine thoughts are unusual and eccentric for a girl her age. Mary Katherine was brought up as upper class in a small village, living with her family until their sudden death. With only her Uncle and

She explicitly believes in different types of magic that will keep Constance and her safe from the rest of the village. One of these magic techniques include the three safe words Mary Katherine creates but are compromised when she exclaims “Their names were Melody Gloucester Pegasus, and we were safe until they were said out loud” (Jackson 82). She blames this mishap for the reason why Charles unctuously comes to her home and disrupts the cyclical routine she has had for the past six years. Another consequence of the magic that Mary Katherine thinks led to Charles coming is “because the book had fallen from the tree; [Mary Katherine] had neglected to replace it at once and our wall of safety had cracked” (Jackson 83). Mary Katherine relies on all of her magic to maintain her barrier of safety while making it her prerogative to protect