Steven Crain is the oldest son in the Crain family. In the Haunting of Hill House, Steven, as an adult, becomes an author and writes – without their acknowledgement to begin with – all his families deep, dark haunting stories into a book. This stirs his family, some not accepting the royalty money he offers them, some accepting it in secret, and causes deep divides in his family at the ethics of Steven releasing such a book when he didn’t believe any of the stories when his family told him them.
With all of this in mind, what can we expect of Steven’s chart?
Virgo Sun in 10th
Steven’s ego relies on reality and normality. He wants facts, evidences and sciences to always be true even when everyone suggests otherwise. This shows his Sun could be in Virgo because his self is supported by the pursuit of earthly knowledge. It could then also be in the 10th house as this is the house of successes, goals and places we wish to go in life. Steven wishes to go toward scientific fact and away from the bizarre, dark world of superstition he perceives in his family.
Capricorn Moon in 2nd
This again strengthens Steven’s need for something tangible. Steven is very much the negative, narrow-minded side of earth placements, needing only the tangibility of textbooks for him to be happy. His emotional needs rely on the 2nd house, meaning he needs wealth, objects, value. We see this in how he writes for money, not for pleasure (otherwise he’d write something he truly believed in). The Capricorn side is again undeveloped in Steven as he constantly overrides his emotions with what he wants to believe of logical reason. At the very end of the series, we see Steven have an emotional breakthrough after a scene with his father. This shows that Steven is capable of growing from reason to responsibility, a trait arch easily reflecting Capricorn.
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising makes Steven’s Chart Ruler Pluto. We see this as his life is constantly destroying the beliefs and stories he grew up with. His opinions come out chaotically, often forming destructive family arguments. On top of this, the sign Scorpio can relate to mystery, and whilst Steven doesn’t believe anything he writes about, he still pursues said mystery.
Leo Mercury in 10th conjunct MC
Leo Mercury makes sense for Steven as he portrays the negativity of a fixed mercury: stubborn ideas. Steven refuses to hear his entire family out on any of the events of Hill House, instead forging his own path ahead (like the individual fiery sign of Leo) and away from his family, which is also fitting as this could make his Mercury (conjunct MC) opposite his IC, so he, as he grows and learns, moves away from them. As for the Mercury conjunct MC, this is a simple addition, as Steven finds his success and career goal through writing and being an author for a living.
Scorpio Venus in 12th
Steven’s love and empathy is buried deep inside him, hence it’s (negative for him) presence in the 12th house. It may then be in Scorpio as Scorpio Venus is a detriment placement, and Steven struggles over his relationship with his wife, but also all his loved ones. Often, in very Scorpionic ways. For instance being too stubborn like a fixed sign, being too cold like a Scorpio when they don’t let their walls down. Toward the very, very end of the series, we see Steven use his stubborn fight not to push people out, but instead fix the relationships he does have.
Capricorn Mars in 2nd
This is a further point on Capricorn and the 2nd house for Steven. His emotions bind him to needing comfort, money and reason, but the presence of Mars here too means he puts his drive and energy into it, too. Capricorn Mars in 2nd, for Steven, means pushing himself toward gaining and gaining.
Taurus Jupiter in 6th Square Aquarius IC
This placement takes some unpacking. Firstly, there’s Aquarius IC, which is best summed up by the fact that Steven thinks he has a strange and dysfunctional family. Taurus Jupiter is representative of his pursuit for wealth and money through writing and selling his family stories, then placed in the 6th house as it is a pursuit affecting his daily life. Being a writer and selling other people’s stories for money is his job. These two then form a square aspect as his luck within writing paranormal stories chaotically destroys his relationship with his family. There’s a war between his home and his growth as a writer.
And so, we can see that Steven’s narrow pursuit of logic leads him away from his family, but toward empty and emotionless money.
Astrolofae 