Episode 17 / Reading 3 - The Picture in the House

[Genus Unknown]

I've come up with an interpretation for this story that just might help some of the goofier parts (like the ending) go down a little smoother. Admittedly, I'm reaching here (be sure to stretch before reading further, don't want to pull a muscle), but in my defense... uh... well, I just like it better my way. Whatever, it's Lovecraft; people have been changing this stuff as they see fit for nearly a century.

So here's the idea: this is a ghost story. In my interpretation, the house was hit by lightning a long time ago, and what our narrator experiences is a kind of haunting, reliving something that happened years ago.

My flimsy "evidence:"

In the opening paragraphs, while HPL is describing (in beautiful, eerie language) the kind of houses he finds most creepy and horrible, he says "sometimes one feels that it would be merciful to tear down these houses, for they must often dream." This is what first suggested the idea to me. Maybe the house stands, and the old man is a "dream" of the house as it "relives" the terrible things done within its walls. I know I said the house must have been hit by lightning a long time ago - this is vital to my reinterpretation because it makes the ending a little less stupid - but the lightning bolt could have killed the old man while leaving the house standing, or partially standing. Or maybe the house itself is nothing but a blackened ruin now, but the "dreams" continue on the spot where it once stood.

He comes across the house during a thunderstorm - if I were telling this story around the campfire, I might say "on a night just like this one" - and the first thing he notices upon entering is that everything in the place is antique. There isn't anything in the house of definitely post-Revolutionary date. Now, if our crazy old cannibal were a real, flesh-and-blood person who has been prolonging his life by eating people, we might expect some more recent things to make their way into the house. If he's still alive, and has a victim upstairs, then that means he still meets and interacts with people. He's not as isolated as we've been led to believe; at least one other person has come to this house, probably on the very night of the story (the fresh and spreading bloodstain would suggest a very recent kill indeed). If this is the case, surely some of his victims' belongings would be around the house somewhere. But they aren't. Everything in the house is old, or at least extremely old-fashioned. Either this crazy old man has strenuously kept his house the same way it's been for 150 years, never losing his glasses or replacing a chair, and throwing out any new item that may have been carried by his victims, OR this is an apparition of the house as it appeared on the night it was destroyed.

If we take the view that this is a haunted house, or a ghostly apparition of a house, many of the problems (that I have) with this story are neatly cleared up. The cheesy "cannibalism works" angle is eliminated, but best of all, the cleansing bolt of lightning is taken out of the realm of deus ex machina and is instead a fitting and downright traditional end to the episode.

My best argument for this is mere precedent: namely, that we've seen this before in "The Tomb." Jervas Dudley goes to the site of an old house that was hit by lightning, finds the house standing there, interacts with the people of the house, and then relives the lightning strike that brought it down. Why couldn't the same thing be happening here?

Note: I'm sure there are passages in the story that contradict this interpretation, but they can be easily dealt with by taking a pen and carefully crossing them out.

[Miskatonic Philologus]

A very good reading of a story I've never much cared for - this kind of lovely characterization and a few background sound effects gives me a bit more to chew on, so to say.

In short, thanks. I enjoyed it and learned from it.

[osyrisdiamond]

I've come up with an interpretation for this story that just might help some of the goofier parts (like the ending) go down a little smoother. Admittedly, I'm reaching here (be sure to stretch before reading further, don't want to pull a muscle), but in my defense... uh... well, I just like it better my way. Whatever, it's Lovecraft; people have been changing this stuff as they see fit for nearly a century.

So here's the idea: this is a ghost story. In my interpretation, the house was hit by lightning a long time ago, and what our narrator experiences is a kind of haunting, reliving something that happened years ago.

My flimsy "evidence:"

In the opening paragraphs, while HPL is describing (in beautiful, eerie language) the kind of houses he finds most creepy and horrible, he says "sometimes one feels that it would be merciful to tear down these houses, for they must often dream." This is what first suggested the idea to me. Maybe the house stands, and the old man is a "dream" of the house as it "relives" the terrible things done within its walls. I know I said the house must have been hit by lightning a long time ago - this is vital to my reinterpretation because it makes the ending a little less stupid - but the lightning bolt could have killed the old man while leaving the house standing, or partially standing. Or maybe the house itself is nothing but a blackened ruin now, but the "dreams" continue on the spot where it once stood.

He comes across the house during a thunderstorm - if I were telling this story around the campfire, I might say "on a night just like this one" - and the first thing he notices upon entering is that everything in the place is antique. There isn't anything in the house of definitely post-Revolutionary date. Now, if our crazy old cannibal were a real, flesh-and-blood person who has been prolonging his life by eating people, we might expect some more recent things to make their way into the house. If he's still alive, and has a victim upstairs, then that means he still meets and interacts with people. He's not as isolated as we've been led to believe; at least one other person has come to this house, probably on the very night of the story (the fresh and spreading bloodstain would suggest a very recent kill indeed). If this is the case, surely some of his victims' belongings would be around the house somewhere. But they aren't. Everything in the house is old, or at least extremely old-fashioned. Either this crazy old man has strenuously kept his house the same way it's been for 150 years, never losing his glasses or replacing a chair, and throwing out any new item that may have been carried by his victims, OR this is an apparition of the house as it appeared on the night it was destroyed.

If we take the view that this is a haunted house, or a ghostly apparition of a house, many of the problems (that I have) with this story are neatly cleared up. The cheesy "cannibalism works" angle is eliminated, but best of all, the cleansing bolt of lightning is taken out of the realm of deus ex machina and is instead a fitting and downright traditional end to the episode.

My best argument for this is mere precedent: namely, that we've seen this before in "The Tomb." Jervas Dudley goes to the site of an old house that was hit by lightning, finds the house standing there, interacts with the people of the house, and then relives the lightning strike that brought it down. Why couldn't the same thing be happening here?

Note: I'm sure there are passages in the story that contradict this interpretation, but they can be easily dealt with by taking a pen and carefully crossing them out.

I think I agree with this interpretation. The statement at the beginning about such housing dreaming, while an eerie way to frame things, does not really make any sense to be mentioned unless you credit this hypothesis. Perhaps this is where restating the opening paragraph(s) might help to bring things full circle. Having the character wake up drenched in the burned ruins might be a nice touch; and one can argue whether the remains are fresh or very very old to be a better choice. Then, the narrator repeats his opening remarks about houses dreaming and so on. That, methinks, would complete the story and make more people enjoy... or at least understand it better.

[catamount]

I like your hypothesis, Genus...such an interpretation would make the story more enjoyable.

[Bob Lovecraft]

I've got to hand it to you on this one, G.U. I'm certainly viewing the story in a different light now, and I really enjoy the new perspective. And osyrisdiamond's idea about the protagonist waking up in the ruins of an obviously long-burnt ruin of the house is a great way to wrap the entire story up.

Insanity Points for both of you!

Bob

[Eric Lofgren]

I find this story's economy and singular vision to be quite disturbing. It's like a snapshot of a not particularly pleasant memory of a not particularly pleasant relative. Or words to that effect, at least. Taken at face value, it's not a supernatural tale at all. It's a 'slasher' story, for all intents and purposes and at that level it works fantastically. Especially since we don't see any slashing (re: action) what so ever. Very clever.

Of course, Genus Unknown's interpretation is pretty damned cool, I must say. And makes re-reading this story very interesting

I listened in 3D and it was fabulous. I will do so again, as well. 

[catamount]

I see the story more as a 'morality tale', in that it is basically an updated retelling of the Native American myth of the Wendigo, which was a powerful monster who was once human, until he consumed human flesh and turned from his humanity. A great way for a small society to modify the behavior of its people (i.e. don't eat other people, kids or else you'll turn into a monster).

The narrator discusses at the beginning of the story the types of people who settled the area, essentially those who turned their backs on society at large and imposed upon themselves a form of cultural isolation and physical segregation from the rest of the colonials. A perfect breeding ground for aberrant behavior.   

 

[Bulbatron]

As with the reading of The Beyond - excellent work!  The sound effects are done really well.  I rather like this story in spite of the poor ending.

[Chris Lackey]

Yeah! Genus! I dig that take! Very cool, weither or not that's what lovecraft intended, it still makes it sweet!

CJL

[dadavoodoo]

I've come up with an interpretation for this story that just might help some of the goofier parts (like the ending) go down a little smoother. Admittedly, I'm reaching here (be sure to stretch before reading further, don't want to pull a muscle), but in my defense... uh... well, I just like it better my way. Whatever, it's Lovecraft; people have been changing this stuff as they see fit for nearly a century.

So here's the idea: this is a ghost story. In my interpretation, the house was hit by lightning a long time ago, and what our narrator experiences is a kind of haunting, reliving something that happened years ago.

My flimsy "evidence:"

In the opening paragraphs, while HPL is describing (in beautiful, eerie language) the kind of houses he finds most creepy and horrible, he says "sometimes one feels that it would be merciful to tear down these houses, for they must often dream." This is what first suggested the idea to me. Maybe the house stands, and the old man is a "dream" of the house as it "relives" the terrible things done within its walls. I know I said the house must have been hit by lightning a long time ago - this is vital to my reinterpretation because it makes the ending a little less stupid - but the lightning bolt could have killed the old man while leaving the house standing, or partially standing. Or maybe the house itself is nothing but a blackened ruin now, but the "dreams" continue on the spot where it once stood.

He comes across the house during a thunderstorm - if I were telling this story around the campfire, I might say "on a night just like this one" - and the first thing he notices upon entering is that everything in the place is antique. There isn't anything in the house of definitely post-Revolutionary date. Now, if our crazy old cannibal were a real, flesh-and-blood person who has been prolonging his life by eating people, we might expect some more recent things to make their way into the house. If he's still alive, and has a victim upstairs, then that means he still meets and interacts with people. He's not as isolated as we've been led to believe; at least one other person has come to this house, probably on the very night of the story (the fresh and spreading bloodstain would suggest a very recent kill indeed). If this is the case, surely some of his victims' belongings would be around the house somewhere. But they aren't. Everything in the house is old, or at least extremely old-fashioned. Either this crazy old man has strenuously kept his house the same way it's been for 150 years, never losing his glasses or replacing a chair, and throwing out any new item that may have been carried by his victims, OR this is an apparition of the house as it appeared on the night it was destroyed.

If we take the view that this is a haunted house, or a ghostly apparition of a house, many of the problems (that I have) with this story are neatly cleared up. The cheesy "cannibalism works" angle is eliminated, but best of all, the cleansing bolt of lightning is taken out of the realm of deus ex machina and is instead a fitting and downright traditional end to the episode.

My best argument for this is mere precedent: namely, that we've seen this before in "The Tomb." Jervas Dudley goes to the site of an old house that was hit by lightning, finds the house standing there, interacts with the people of the house, and then relives the lightning strike that brought it down. Why couldn't the same thing be happening here?

Note: I'm sure there are passages in the story that contradict this interpretation, but they can be easily dealt with by taking a pen and carefully crossing them out.

This seem more likely if you look at Medusa's Coil, that is just what does and did happen. This story how ever is much better then Medusa's Coil.

[bkd69]

I love this story. Easily one of my favorites, except for that last line.

What I think a lot of people have missed with this story, and I'm surprised Chad and Chris didn't pick up on this as well, was that this isn't necessarily a slasher story, with this particular Terrible Old Man simply drawing out his time until he's ready to carve up dinner, but rather, the Old Man's dialog is attempting to sound out a fellow traveler, seeing if our humble narrator is to be dinner, or dinner guest, and that's what makes it feel authentic.

It feels an awful lot like how a closeted gay man of the era might try to sound out and make a pass at another man he's not sure about, which brings to mind the discussion of HPL's relation to the modernists from a few episodes earlier, and makes me wonder if there isn't a contemporary piece of gay fiction that this could be directly correlated with from the time.

[MediaGhost]

I love this story. Easily one of my favorites, except for that last line.

Yeah, I've never been certain if Lovecraft just wrote himself into a corner or if he was trying to make some kind of point.  Either way, it's a lousy ending.

...but rather, the Old Man's dialog is attempting to sound out a fellow traveler, seeing if our humble narrator is to be dinner, or dinner guest, and that's what makes it feel authentic.

That's what I've always though, too.  After all, I'd imagine one doesn't get to be a 200 year old cannibal without being very careful about one's meals.

It feels an awful lot like how a closeted gay man of the era might try to sound out and make a pass at another man he's not sure about, which brings to mind the discussion of HPL's relation to the modernists from a few episodes earlier, and makes me wonder if there isn't a contemporary piece of gay fiction that this could be directly correlated with from the time.

Did the Old Man want to eat the Narrator - or did he want to "eat" the Narrator?   Hmmm.  I dunno if there's such a thing as early 1920s gay fiction with which to compare it.  I'd be kinda surprised it there were.

[Bob Lovecraft]

Oh, I'm sure there is gay literature (porn) from the 1920's. You would just have to look a bit for it. There is NOTHING new when it comes to sexuality in humanity.

Bob

[Lambda]

Oh, I'm sure there is gay literature (porn) from the 1920's. You would just have to look a bit for it. There is NOTHING new when it comes to sexuality in humanity.

Bob

I'm sure rule 34 applies here. 

[Bob Lovecraft]

LOL, you say that, but where do you think Rule 34 came from?

Bob