The Journals

  Ravens sang as the dark night sky transformed into a grey overcast dawn.  A cold humid air permeated the old village where Kathy lived. Just as the houses, most people in the forest village were old and quiet. In fact, she was the only young girl that lived there. Amidst the raven’s songs the mossy forest became lit in a blueish green light reflected off the vegetation.   That morning, Kathy naturally went into the kitchen of her small house to have breakfast where there was a wood burning oven. However, there was something unusual that day. Under normal circumstances her grandma would always be knitting while drinking her morning coffee (grandma didn’t sleep much).  But she wasn’t there, nor was there any coffee indicating her morning routine. Kathy became worried a ran to grandma’s room, but she was no where to be found. “She must be feeding the chickens” Kathy thought as she was running out of ideas. But outside she found unfed chickens, and an even more pa...

  In this story written by H.P. Lovecraft there is a tension between the human and the nonhuman. The human is represented as the narrator, who in his reason and knowledge of his own death represents humanity. Death is already within him and he, as someone who has read, faces it calmly and blames no one but himself. However, it is in this story that another crucial aspect of being human appears in his behaviour. Despite their own rational thoughts’ indication that a swift death is a better fate that dying of starvation, he decides to attack and kill the mysterious cave-dwelling creature that threatens his life. This shows the irrationality that lies inside of human’s rationality. A mysterious side that only manifests until he feels truly threatened. It is in this instance that he brings the visceral instinctual behaviour that is only partially visible in the human psyche. On the opposing side, the nonhuman is the creature, who fears no darkness and is not aware of its own mortal...