Eleanor
Both Jackson and Eleanor heard voices that did not appear to manifest for others. However, unlike Eleanor, Jackson was able to recognize that the voices were in her head, not deriving from a supernatural force. (Hattenhauer, 9) Jackson, who was heavily interested in the Supernatural would have felt a connection to Eleanor's paranormal ability, as well as Theodora's. Eleanor's guilt and hatred for her mother, fueled by her mother's entrapment of her, while her sister was allowed free matches some of Jackson's feelings towards her own mother and her constant involvement in her life. In fact Jackson had a similar quote in her diary, "Who is looking over my shoulder all the time?" to Eleanor's line "Whose hand was I holding?" (Hattenhauer, 24) Both lines suggesting that escaping mother's presence is not possible. Eleanor's continuous giggling and possible pounding on the walls is reminiscent of a scene in Life Among Savages where Jackson cannot stop giggling and pounding while in the hospital to deliver her third child. (2.426-430) Eleanor exhibits severe self-deprecating behavior and ideas, that coincide with many of the self-conscious believes that Jackson held about herself. Eleanor's daydream about the tiny cottage where she'll raise white cats and tell people their fortunes (1.22) is similar to Jackson's life in the fact that Jackson not only had many cats as companions, but also read tarot cards. Additionally, Eleanor's vivid imagination, though possible related with psychosis, is similar to the type of mind an author like Jackson possesses.
Mary Katherine and Constance
Mary Katherine, like Eleanor and Jackson, possesses the ability to create worlds, as evident with her detailed descriptions of living on the moon and the extend conversations she has with her Jonas. " She has a strong link to good omens and bad omens, like Jackson's. She also appears to practice a certain type of magic, though she doesn't have full control of it. Mary Katherine is possibly both a protagonist and antagonist, similar to Eleanor in that fact. She did poison her family, and she does burn down the house, but at the same time she does not appear to have full control of her actions, much like Eleanor, who may have killed her mother and may have haunted Hill House, at the end of the "Hill House." Mary Katherine's wild behavior resembles Jackson who was described as wild and unruly child as well. Mary Katherine possesses quite possibly the most similar characteristics to Jackson, including being a good rhetorician, multiple personalities emerging (Hattenhauer, 189) and an aversion to food and eating in front of others. Constance and Jackson share the most glaring similarity in that they both suffer from debilitating agoraphobia. Constance cannot even stay in the front of the house for extend periods of time, while by the end of writing this novel Jackson was hardly leaving her room. Additionally, the two sisters treatment by the townspeople is based off Jackson's experiences with the townspeople of Bennington, which also encouraged her to write "The Lottery". (Hattenhauer, 188)