In this blog, I will be discussing Reyes’s description of body horror as being a “fictional representation of the body exceeding itself or falling apart, either opening up or being altered past the point where it would be recognised by normative understandings of human corporeality.” (Reyes, 2014) And how they do The Colour out of Space and Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth make use of this definition to explore themes of the unknown?
H.P. Lovecraft was in clear terms a bigot who held bigoted views against those different to him (Jones, 2020). As a writer like most, he brought those views within his works. So, when looking at body horror as described by Reyes in regard to the story The Colour out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft one could say it was used to express Lovecraft’s bigotry as the story does depict the fear of the other and its effects. Within the story, the meteorite is immediately different from other meteorites as it still glows unlike the scientifically factual meteorite (Lovecraft, 1927) the never seen before colours of the meteorite further shows its difference (Lovecraft, 1927). Initially thought of as a possible blessing this other seems to be dispersing of possible fears “The pears and apples slowly ripened, and Nahum vowed that his orchards were prospering as never before. The fruit was growing to phenomenal size and unwonted gloss, and in such abundance, those extra barrels were ordered to handle the future crop.” (Lovecraft, 1927) however right after this the other once again reveals itself to be a poison as the literal fruits it bares are thought of as poisonous (Lovecraft, 1927). From a body horror perspective, the humans affected by the meteorite become much like the fruits and animals and become altered until they are nothing but grey ash (Lovecraft, 1927). By introducing the meteorite as the other H.P. Lovecraft depicts what he expects would occur if the other is allowed to continue to exist, far worse situations could occur as explained by his expectation of what would occur if promiscuity were to become less judged by the public. His escalation goes from sodomy, or homosexuality, as he calls it being slowly accepted until finally bestiality is allowed (Jones, 2020). In H.P. Lovecraft’s words he is drawing out the steps of escalations which he expects will occur if others are welcomed into the fold it starts with fruits and escalates towards humans. Thus, I believe the theme of the unknown within the colour of out of space is that of fear for the unknown.
In The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Lovecraft creates body horror through the depiction of characters degenerating until their humanity if stripped and they resemble fish creatures rather than humans. This body horror though getting a different reaction from its character as in the end the narrator accepts these half human half fish creatures and accepts himself as one of them (Lovecraft, 1936) still depicts the acceptance of the status quo because at the beginning the narrator is the other and because of this he is hunted however as the story progresses it is revealed he is, in fact, a descendant of the Innsmouth residences and as such when he embraces them all his passed decisions he made as another is nearly all but a few forgiven(Lovecraft, 1936). To the narrator, the humans are the other as they are not like him and the deep ones are now the ones who make sense (Lovecraft, 1936).
This is what I feel describes bigotry and to an extent Lovecraft’s bigotry the other is that which the narrator is not connected to and as such, there is always another and there is always a place where bigots can fit in.
References
Jones, N. (lect). (2020). Lovecraftian horror and weird fiction. retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5273120-dt-content-rid-12699658_4/institution/Papers/ENGL602/Publish/Lovecraftian%20Horror%20Lecture.mp4
Lovecraft, H.P (Auth). (1927). The colour of out of space. United States: Amazing Stories
Lovecraft, H.P (Auth). (1936). The shadow over innsmouth. United States: Visionary Publishing Company
Reyes, X. (2014). Body Gothic: Corporeal Transgression in Contemporary Literature and Horror Film. University of Wales Press.
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