Lovecraftian Goodness

The man himself, H.P. Lovecraft. Not the slightest bit creepy looking.

     As far as the horror genre is concerned, H. P. Lovecraft is widely considered one of the great writers that paved the way for the modern horror to flourish. Even if someone is unfamiliar with his name, his work is probably known to them in one form or another from Reanimator to the dreaded Cthulhu. For this entry, I'll be looking specifically at the short stories The Call of Cthulhu, The Outsider, and Pickman's Model from this highly revered author.

     In each of these stories, Lovecraft built a mythology for the frightening creatures. This focus on the lore of the monsters works as Lovecraft tactfully only gives glimpse of the whole, enough to stir fear while not so much that the sense of mystery is lost. Cthulhu and his cult are approached in a sequence of discoveries following the narrators trail through clues and events. By the end, the impending doom is palatable, and yet the full story of the Ancient Ones is denied. They are still frighteningly unfamiliar, which makes the story all the more terrifying. Likewise, the painted creatures described in Pickman's Model have a lore explained through the painting scenes that is both structured and yet vague. The creatures aren't even given a name, preserving that unnerving feeling of the unknown. The outsider travels through a dreamlike atmosphere before the revelation that it is unnatural is revealed. The audience is left with the impression that this is a deceased individual that has ascended back into the land of the living, but the exact details of the surreal depths remains a mystery, as does the specifics of who the individual was. Just a peek into the supernatural is shown, which keeps that unnerving suspense even after the story is over.

       Lovecraft utilizes the first person perspective beautifully in each of these stories. In The

Cover from R.J. Ivankovic's reimagining of The Call of Cthulhu. Isn't he cute?

Outsider, the narrator is revealed to be the monster in the end. However, seeing his journey through his perspective gives the audience some empathy for the character. We feel bad that this poor man is spending his 'childhood' in such deplorable surroundings and cheer for his accomplishments when he finally emerges into the moonlight. This made the realization of his undead state more frightful for the reader. Once they have made an emotional connection to the narrator, it is awful to know the character you have come to care for is the monster.

 

     Pickman's tale is revealed through his friend, who gives the account of what he witnessed. This perspective not only kept the details of Pickman's creatures secret but also allowed the reader to experience the fear the narrator felt through the plot. Pickman seemed to view the beasts he painted as kindred spirits, which would have been difficult for the reader to connect with had he told the tale. Also, the mystery of his disappearance would have had to be revealed. The narrator gave the audience a perspective the reader can empathize with, that of someone encountering the strange and delusional artist and what  depths he has descended for his art. 

      The Call of Cthulhu used first person to ground the story. With such a fantastical huge scale beast and mythology, it would have been easy for the author to accidentally make the premise seem fake. The narrator's initial skepticism and his retelling of the discoveries that lead to his eventual belief make the fantastical seem possible. This was an educated man uncovering the cult and creature through research, obviously he wouldn't be swayed to believe without substantial evidence. The evidence also provides several accounts of others encountering the Cthulhu mythology in some form, adding to the paranoia of secret cults and conspiracies. The first person point of view leaves the story open in the end. After all the information provided, there is no definite end resolved. Cthulhu lives on to haunt the dreams of the reader forever after.

      It is difficult for me to bring up any way these stories are lacking, as I've been a fan of Lovecraft since my teens. However, to be fair I must reluctantly point out some things. Lovecraft is a drawn out storyteller. These tales take some time to get rolling into full steam; don't expect to be hooked on the story from the first line. In the modern era where we expect instant gratification, this can disappoint readers. We are used to the quick paced stories that jump straight to main points. Lovecraft takes his time, simmering the plot. 

     Pickman's Model and The Call of Cthulhu are more of a factual look back to past events, which can drain some of the in the moment suspense and tension. The narrator is retelling the horror now that it's done with many sensory details left out, so the feeling of being there in the moment is dimmed. Even The Outsider, which is a more personal first person perspective, seems a bit removed from immersing the reader into the journey. The emotions of the narrator are not utilized as much as the stories come off more as documenting the events recalled rather than truly reliving them. For the record, I would like to point out that these negatives are more likely a product of the changing tastes of readers over the decades. These stories are close to a hundred years old. The audience at the time they were originally published likely didn't expect the fast, immersive story that we do today. 

      Overall, these are classic stories that I believe every horror fan should read. Love them or hate them, to analyze how Lovecraft struck fear into his readers is well worth the time. His influence can be seen in many modern horror writers' work. For those who delight in these tales, I would also recommend reading Dagon, Arthur Jermyn, and Herbert West - Reanimator (or really anything he wrote is enjoyable).