Pickman's Model II - actual reflections

[narfnitsirk]

H. P. Lovecraft is a master of the following formula: “I knew a guy, who has since disappeared, who went mad, and I followed him almost to the brink of madness, I caught a glimpse of what lies beyond the curtain, but I was able to come back. And now my buddy has vanished.” “Hypnos” had a neat Tyler Durden-type twist at the end, but I thought “

Comments

Negative descriptions

[calieav]

Once again, we both seem to be fascinated by Lovecraft's use of negative space to let the imagination run free. I think the second person point of view really enhances that stylism in this story.

I agree

[anonymous]

Hi Vanessa: I agree with your comments. I think this story has some wonderful aspects, like the descriptions of the horrific paintings, but it ultimately falls flat. It relies on that one surprise at the end which doesn't turn out to be much of a surprise. I love your "Reader's Digest version" of the plot. Well said. Sally Bosco

Pickman's Model

[anonymous]

I agree with you on the descriptions of the beasts in the pictures. The idea of a rubbery texture to the bodies put the final touch to the image in my head. Ugh is right! What I got from the episode of Pickman going out of the room with his pistol after Thurber screamed, was that that Lovecraft was setting up a rat “diversion”. I got the impression that Pickman didn’t shoot at the supposed “rats” but rather into the air to convince his friends to go back down in the well: “…and the deafening discharge of all six chambers of a revolver, fired spectacularly as a lion-tamer might fire in the air for effect”. Pickman continues the rat illusion in speaking to Thurber afterwards, but then he couldn’t reveal what they really were, or his relationship with them, could he?
Swea