Yes. Shirley Jackson based the book on the concept of haunted houses which have long been part of human folklore. There are countless stories of people experiencing strange things in old, isolated houses, and she took that essence and created Hill House. The sense of dread, the unexplained events, and the psychological turmoil of the characters in the story are all elements that can be related to real - life tales of haunted places, making it feel as if it could be based on a true story.
Well, kind of. While there may not be an exact true story that matches every detail in 'The Haunting of Hill House', it was influenced by common beliefs in haunted houses and paranormal activity. The author Shirley Jackson took these general ideas of places that give people an eerie feeling, strange noises, and unexplained phenomena, and crafted a fictional narrative that has a sense of authenticity because it taps into those real - world superstitions.