It’s funny how used to Lovecraft’s casual racism I’ve gotten that my first thought on this short story was how much I enjoyed its writing and atmosphere. It’s only when I started going through the nitty-gritty of the storyline that I remembered how offensive many of the African details are, including the use of the N word. Even when Lovecraft wrote this story, that word was a powerful slur. Lovecraft is quite happy to use it.
I like how Lovecraft puts New England decrepit houses right up against classic horror situations like Rhine castles and Paris catacombs. This definitely is true. And at the time Lovecraft had a lot to do with promoting this imagery. Having lived in New England nearly all my life, I can viscerally feel the scenes he’s creating. My own father was a genealogist, so we would tromp around New England landscapes looking at ancient houses, ancient stone walls, etc. We knew many people who lived in 1700s-era homes. I can ‘smell’ and feel these scenes.
So the main character is biking around in Miskatonic Valley near Arkham, both fictional places, and a pouring rain begins. Our hero sees an ancient house in the distance. He goes up to it and realizes it might be occupied but then he WALKS IN. What?? This man knows New Englanders! He could easily be bludgeoned to death or shot or stabbed. You do not just walk into an old house around here.
Besides, houses of the 1700s era are falling apart. The ceiling could fall in on you. You could fall through to the basement. The mold could kill you. You just don’t walk in.
Our hero finds a book about cannibalism. We learn that some Black people in Africa have white features. Lovecraft uses the N word. There are lots of iffy issues involving the Africa storyline. Let’s just try to ignore those.
And then it turns out the house owner is in fact there. He’s large, threatening, but a gentle giant. Also it turns out he is a man from the Revolutionary War who has stayed alive by cannibalizing people passing by. And now he has his eyes set on our new visitor.
Luckily, we’re told a paragraph before the end that our main character survives. Usually Lovecraft would tell us in Paragraph One that the guy lived. We’re fortunate that Lovecraft managed to wait until near the end before revealing the twist. A lightning strike destroys the house. Is the cannibal thrown clear and runs off? Is he killed and under the rubble?
I enjoy the writing style. I like that it’s set in New England. I wish it didn’t have the Congo African white-negro sections.
Read The Picture in the House for yourself –
https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/ph.aspx
My video review –