Haunted house themes in television and literature

The archetype of the haunted house remains a cornerstone of supernatural horror across various media. In television, popular series exploring this theme include American Horror Story: Murder House, which follows a family facing unexpected deaths and invasive spirits, and The Haunting of Hill House, an adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel about siblings confronting past traumas in a famous haunted residence. Additionally, the series Haunted Hotel follows a single mother managing a struggling business.

In literature, several notable works utilize haunted settings to explore psychological and social themes. Mariana Enriquez’s Nuestra parte de noche uses dark spaces in Argentina to connect supernatural terror with the historical trauma of the dictatorship. Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House is cited as a masterpiece of psychological horror where a mansion appears to possess its own predatory life. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gótico, set in 1950s Mexico, features an isolated mansion in Hidalgo that serves as a central element of the narrative.