H.P. Lovecraft, the Unknown, and Foreign Countries

May 27th, 2010 by admin Leave a reply »

During my time in Spain, I have finally gotten around to reading the Library of America compilation of H.P. Lovecraft’s writings, titled Tales. I had been meaning to read the volume for some time, but I always seemed to have something more compelling to read. This is often the case with my reading habits, but was particularly acute in this case since Lovecraft wrote what was then (the early 20th century) called “weird fiction”, but is now be called “horror”. Horror is not the most versatile of genres, and the mood to read it never seemed to surface. Now, lack of alternatives have forced my hand, and I am quite happy they did, as I am really enjoying Lovecraft’s writing.

Horror is probably not the right word to capture the experience of reading the stories; suspense is a more fitting word. Lovecraft’s stories are typically structured like simple ghost stories, starting rather mundanely and finishing with a startling revelation.

What I really enjoy about the writing is that, despite being rather predictable, each story delves into our fear of the murky, silent, and unknown aspects of our world. Lovecraft’s horrors are mysterious, unknowable and vast, but they reside in our cellars, attics and dilapidated buildings. This combination of unknown and mundane is the central force of Lovecraft’s writing, inspiring readers to think twice before going down to the basement to get a new light bulb.

Going to a foreign country inspires in some people the same sense of mundane/horror as Lovecraft’s writing elicits. Not understand what people are saying, not knowing what the signs say, and not being able to communicate causes uneasiness, isolation, and panic in many travelers. My wife and I are intermediate Spanish speakers (though by no means fluent), and even we are apprehensive when approaching an important conversation here in Spain. Fortunately, we have found that the locals are relatively forgiving of our clumsy Spanish, and are grateful that we are making the effort and not merely speaking loud, slow English. Barcelona is a little trickier than the rest of Spain, since here the signs are are in Catalan (which bears a passing resemblance to Spanish), though all the locals speak at least Spanish as well. Even so, I do feel a bit lost at times when trying to decipher words with many more X’s than I am comfortable with.

I can’t imagine the moxie necessary to move to a country where you don’t speak the language, and the locals are not as forgiving. It gives me new respect for immigrants, who all had to face down the horror hiding behind every conversation and every street sign.

Advertisement

17,632 comments

  1. kyrie 7 says:

    My spouse and i got really joyous Chris managed to carry out his preliminary research while using the ideas he got through the site. It is now and again perplexing to just always be offering tips and hints which often most people may have been making money from. And we all consider we need the blog owner to thank because of that. Most of the explanations you have made, the straightforward blog navigation, the relationships you will assist to promote – it’s many incredible, and it’s really assisting our son and the family reckon that that subject matter is interesting, and that is rather vital. Many thanks for all!

  2. A lot of thanks for your own work on this website. My mum delights in engaging in internet research and it is obvious why. Most of us hear all concerning the powerful means you make informative tips and hints via the web blog and even attract participation from other individuals on the area then our favorite simple princess is in fact learning a lot of things. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the new year. You’re carrying out a very good job.

  3. jordan retro says:

    I would like to express my passion for your generosity supporting persons that really need guidance on in this topic. Your real dedication to getting the message along became rather good and have in every case permitted folks just like me to arrive at their targets. This important facts means so much to me and even further to my colleagues. Thank you; from all of us.

  4. birkin bag says:

    I am just writing to make you be aware of what a perfect experience our princess developed using your web site. She even learned a wide variety of issues, most notably how it is like to possess an ideal coaching style to make other folks easily know precisely selected complicated topics. You really did more than people’s expected results. Thank you for providing such precious, trusted, educational as well as cool guidance on this topic to Kate.

  5. I simply needed to thank you so much all over again. I am not sure the things I would have used without these ways revealed by you regarding such field. It seemed to be the troublesome issue in my position, but finding out a specialised approach you managed the issue made me to weep over delight. Now i am happy for the guidance and then have high hopes you are aware of a great job that you’re accomplishing teaching others all through your websites. I am certain you’ve never come across any of us.

  6. I precisely wanted to say thanks again. I’m not certain what I could possibly have achieved without the type of thoughts contributed by you directly on such field. It was actually a challenging crisis in my position, but looking at a new expert form you dealt with it made me to cry over delight. I’m grateful for your assistance and thus have high hopes you are aware of a powerful job your are putting in teaching the others through your website. Probably you have never got to know all of us.

  7. moncler says:

    Thank you so much for providing individuals with an exceptionally terrific chance to read critical reviews from this site. It is always so enjoyable and stuffed with amusement for me and my office acquaintances to visit your blog really three times every week to learn the fresh secrets you will have. Of course, we are at all times pleased concerning the perfect guidelines served by you. Selected two areas on this page are easily the very best we have had.

  8. I must express my love for your kindness giving support to people that really want assistance with the content. Your very own dedication to getting the solution all-around ended up being amazingly interesting and has constantly made folks like me to realize their dreams. Your own useful help and advice entails a great deal to me and far more to my office colleagues. Warm regards; from everyone of us.

  9. I am also writing to make you know of the impressive discovery my wife’s girl enjoyed studying your blog. She mastered such a lot of issues, most notably what it is like to have an amazing giving mindset to get many people completely grasp specified specialized subject areas. You actually did more than our expectations. Thanks for delivering these warm and helpful, dependable, educational not to mention fun guidance on that topic to Ethel.

  10. golden goose says:

    My husband and i have been really fortunate that John could carry out his analysis through your precious recommendations he gained through your web site. It’s not at all simplistic to just possibly be releasing information and facts that some people have been selling. So we take into account we have got the writer to give thanks to because of that. Most of the explanations you have made, the easy site navigation, the relationships you can make it easier to instill – it’s got mostly wonderful, and it is making our son and us recognize that this subject is interesting, and that’s truly indispensable. Many thanks for all the pieces!

  11. lebron shoes says:

    I want to convey my passion for your generosity supporting men and women that absolutely need assistance with in this area of interest. Your real dedication to passing the message along had been incredibly effective and has continuously permitted most people like me to achieve their dreams. Your new useful facts means this much to me and even more to my office workers. With thanks; from each one of us.

  12. kd shoes says:

    I must express my thanks to this writer for rescuing me from this type of trouble. Because of scouting throughout the online world and seeing tricks which are not beneficial, I assumed my entire life was over. Existing minus the solutions to the problems you have fixed by means of the blog post is a critical case, and ones that might have negatively affected my entire career if I hadn’t discovered your web page. Your main natural talent and kindness in maneuvering all the details was invaluable. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had not come upon such a solution like this. I can at this point look forward to my future. Thanks for your time very much for the expert and effective help. I will not hesitate to propose your web blog to anyone who needs to have assistance on this matter.

  13. kobe shoes says:

    I simply wished to say thanks again. I do not know the things I would’ve taken care of in the absence of the secrets contributed by you over this situation. It was a very intimidating setting in my position, however , coming across a well-written strategy you solved it made me to leap over joy. I am just thankful for this advice and even have high hopes you realize what a powerful job you are providing training others by way of your webpage. I am certain you have never got to know any of us.

  14. Thank you a lot for giving everyone an extraordinarily spectacular possiblity to read critical reviews from here. It can be so pleasing and also jam-packed with a lot of fun for me and my office colleagues to search your site at the very least 3 times a week to find out the latest issues you have got. And of course, I’m also usually happy with the sensational suggestions served by you. Selected 2 areas in this article are truly the very best we have all had.

  15. kyrie 7 says:

    I as well as my friends have been viewing the excellent secrets and techniques located on your website and then unexpectedly came up with a terrible feeling I had not thanked the web site owner for them. All the young men became consequently excited to study them and have now without a doubt been taking advantage of them. I appreciate you for turning out to be considerably considerate and then for obtaining certain useful useful guides most people are really desperate to understand about. Our honest regret for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.

  16. I intended to draft you the bit of remark to thank you again over the pleasant basics you’ve discussed at this time. It is simply generous with people like you to grant unreservedly all that many individuals might have supplied as an e book to help make some dough on their own, certainly given that you could have done it in case you wanted. The strategies as well worked as a fantastic way to realize that most people have a similar eagerness much like my own to grasp significantly more in terms of this problem. Certainly there are millions of more pleasurable times up front for people who check out your website.

  17. I precisely wanted to thank you so much yet again. I do not know what I could possibly have implemented in the absence of these thoughts revealed by you on that industry. It previously was an absolute frustrating setting for me personally, but coming across this specialized tactic you processed that forced me to weep with contentment. I am thankful for this service and trust you know what an amazing job you are getting into educating men and women all through your site. I know that you’ve never got to know all of us.

  18. I wanted to write you a very little remark to finally thank you very much once again for the splendid suggestions you have contributed on this website. It is simply wonderfully open-handed with you to allow freely just what most of us could possibly have marketed as an e book to make some cash for their own end, most notably since you might have tried it if you considered necessary. These solutions likewise worked as the good way to be aware that many people have a similar eagerness really like my very own to grasp somewhat more with regards to this issue. I’m sure there are millions of more pleasant occasions ahead for people who read your website.

  19. off white says:

    I must point out my love for your generosity giving support to all those that actually need help on this theme. Your special commitment to passing the solution all-around became extraordinarily significant and have frequently allowed most people much like me to get to their ambitions. Your amazing warm and friendly key points means a whole lot a person like me and much more to my mates. Thanks a ton; from each one of us.

  20. I simply had to appreciate you once again. I’m not certain the things that I would’ve used in the absence of these aspects provided by you concerning such situation. This was a very scary problem in my circumstances, however , taking a look at the very professional style you managed the issue forced me to weep for gladness. Extremely happy for this guidance and as well , hope you know what an amazing job you have been carrying out training people today using your webpage. I am certain you have never encountered any of us.

  21. I just wanted to post a brief note in order to thank you for these stunning tricks you are giving on this website. My extended internet investigation has finally been paid with awesome facts to write about with my family. I would assert that many of us website visitors are undeniably endowed to dwell in a decent place with very many marvellous people with valuable methods. I feel very privileged to have used your entire webpage and look forward to tons of more amazing minutes reading here. Thanks once more for everything.

  22. curry shoes says:

    I wish to show my thanks to this writer for bailing me out of such a condition. Just after searching through the the net and meeting ideas which are not beneficial, I was thinking my entire life was well over. Living devoid of the answers to the issues you’ve solved by way of your blog post is a serious case, as well as those that would have negatively damaged my entire career if I hadn’t discovered your website. The skills and kindness in taking care of all the details was helpful. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not come upon such a solution like this. I am able to at this point look forward to my future. Thank you so much for the skilled and sensible help. I will not hesitate to recommend the sites to anyone who would like counselling about this subject.

  23. My wife and i felt now ecstatic when John managed to conclude his analysis out of the ideas he acquired using your web page. It is now and again perplexing to simply possibly be giving freely hints that some other people could have been selling. We really understand we’ve got the writer to give thanks to because of that. The explanations you made, the easy site menu, the friendships your site give support to engender – it is many overwhelming, and it’s letting our son and our family understand that issue is pleasurable, and that is incredibly essential. Thanks for all the pieces!