I agree with Schuyler Johnson of Florida about the two missing scenes that could have deepen the plot. And for the many readers that projected Eleanor's disturbing psychotic addicting behavior- like the scene of the foursome sitting in the purple parlor and Eleanor "feeling a part of something" clearly states her lack of normality. I had seen the movie and read the book,and concour that they both are truely classics in their own genre. Shirley Jackson depicts the inner most fears to bring them out as a outward disfunctional rationality. Like every genius, Jackson has to be seen or read time and again to begin to understand her intent. As for the ending of the car crashing into the tree, I felt alittle let down at first. Realizing that this is what Eleanor thought she wanted until reality set in was to find a place of belonging.The house and Eleanor were attracted to each other as a love affair for the psychologically disfunctional.