The aim of this essay is to critically analyze the two classical fictional tales “The haunting of the Hill House’ by Shirley Jackson and “My work is not yet done” by Thomas Ligotti. The focus of the arguments will be on how the writers have attempted to blur the lines between imagination and reality and how these two stories challenge the psychological realities. This will be followed by discussion of the points that Shirley Jackson and Thomas Ligotti have tried to establish in these books regarding the limitations and realities of humans as social beings as well as the world in which we live. My Work is Not Done by Thomas Ligotti is a collection of three stories about corporate affairs. The first story is a three part odyssey into the life of Frank Dominio – an office worker ends up without a job thanks to his co-workers. Dominio, who had already been slight unhinged from the beginning begins to make a revenge plan – a massacre. The next chapter sees a mysterious force coming to his aid, bestowing him with strange supernatural powers to murder his enemies according to his darkest thoughts and imagination. Ligotti very skillfully conceives the structure where a mundane life is suddenly changed into this paranoid world. The writer tackles the real aspect of the story really well – by describing the intricacies in the behavior of the corporate sector: petty displays of ego appear during the story. Frank’s ability to manipulate people and then his consequent obtaining of these dark powers are shrouded in mystery. He has no idea where they came from and he is also a living ghost. As he carries out his revenge against his ex-colleagues, black spots cloud his vision and gaping holes appear in his memory. Ligotti's work is clearly v... ... middle of paper ... ...he situation: people will always do what is convenient for them. As she puts it, “It’s not us doing the waiting,” Eleanor said. “It’s the house. I think it’s biding its time.” “Waiting until we feel secure, maybe, and then it will pounce.” This is Eleanor’s story. Another interesting point to make would be to address Eleanor’s obvious sexual orientation – and maybe the repressed identity is what causes the disturbances in the haunted house. The analysis showed that Shirley’s and Thomas’s work matched in a way that both the stories reflect identity crises and the psyche of a killer. The notable use of typical fictional horror elements such as tragic backstories, harbingers, unseen forces causing chaos and dreadfulness, terror and above all unrealistically portrayed personality disorders makes the stories a baroque blend of supernatural fantasy and moral reality.
The Haunting of Hill House is a gothic horror novel written by Shirley Jackson. Supernatural occurrences take place within the house revolving around Eleanor. Eleanor is a thirty-two-year-old woman who never once has felt the sense of inclusion. Eleanor seems to never recall the feeling of delight in her adult years due to the fact that she was a caretaker for her now deceased Mother; who took away most of her freedom by being incredibly restrictive. Dr. Montague, a doctor that specializes in analysis of the supernatural rents Hill House, a supposedly haunted house. During the renting period, Dr. Montague begins an experiment inviting individuals who have had involvement in abnormal events
“Killings", written by Andre Dubus in 1979, involves several aspects such as revenge, morality, and murder. Elements, such as the story’s title, the order of events, and the development of the characters, are very unique. It successfully evokes emotion and suspense as the plot unfolds in sequence. Though it seems easily overlooked, the title “Killings” is very important due to the fact that the thrill of suspense is left in the mind of the reader. The title encourages readers to question who and what. It is also an intricate setting for the plot’s mood. It implies that a murder has taken place, but that is all the reader knows. The chronology of the story uses a style called "in media res”, a term used to describe the common strategy of beginning a story in the middle of the action or entering on the verge of some important moment (Meyer 2198). In this story, the readers are shown that murder not only takes a life, but it can also take away a living persons sense of self worth, their spirit.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” is a short psychological thriller. The murder of Fortunato haunts Montresor so greatly that he feels the compulsion to tell the story some fifty years after the fact. He appears to be in the late stages of life desperately attempting to remove the stain of murder from his mind. That it is still so fresh and rich in specifics is proof that it has plagued him, “Perhaps the most chilling aspect of reading Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ for the first time is not the gruesome tale that Montresor relates, but the sudden, unpredictable, understated revelation that the murder, recounted in its every lurid detail, occurred not yesterday or last week, but a full fifty years prior to the telling” (DiSanza).
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most celebrated literary authors of all time, known for writing very suspenseful, dramatic short stories and a poet; is considered as being a part of the American Romantic Movement, and a lesser known opinion is he is regarded as the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. Most recognized for his mystery and macabre, a journey into the dark, ghastly stories of death, deception and revenge is what makes up his reputation. The short story under analysis is a part of his latter works; “The Cask of Amontillado”, a story of revenge takes readers into the mind of the murderer.
Reading Edgar Allen Poe’s works such as “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Tell-Tale Heart” are both written around 1840’s and written in the gothic style. Poe displays his horror short stories, in which the reader can differentiate his signature style. Although many of Poe’s significant works may have a similar theme, the reader can distinguish the themes through the characters in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Tell-Tale Heart.”
Vronsky, Peter. Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters. New York: Berkley, 2004. Print.
Edgar Allen Poe’s tale of murder and revenge, “The Cask of Amontillado”, offers a unique perspective into the mind of a deranged murderer. The effectiveness of the story is largely due to its first person point of view, which allows the reader a deeper involvement into the thoughts and motivations of the protagonist, Montresor. The first person narration results in an unbalanced viewpoint on the central conflict of the story, man versus man, because the reader knows very little about the thoughts of the antagonist, Fortunato. The setting of “The Cask of Amontillado”, in the dark catacombs of Montresor’s wine cellar, contributes to the story’s theme that some people will go to great lengths to fanatically defend their honor.
The teller began describing the legend of what she knows as “Hell House” in Old Ellicott City, Maryland. She told me that it was off of River Road and is currently abandoned and rundown. She had heard that it was a female institute or an asylum for crazy women. She gave me two important details about the history during the time that it was a “female institute.” According to legend, one of the girls staying there committed suicide by jumping off the top of the building. It is said that her ghost has haunted the grounds ever since. The other event during that time period was that—accord...
...e asks Theodora if she can move in with her. When Theodora promptly refuses, Eleanor sighs that she's "never been wanted anywhere.”
Both Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and Roald Dahl’s ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ explore the different ways that humans cope with the feeling of guilt in the aftermath of criminality. While Poe’s narrator is overcome with guilt after committing murder, the main protagonist in Dahl’s tale, Mary Maloney, seems to feel no regret in killing her husband. Both texts also differ in the build up to the murders. Poe’s narrator is initially cautious and methodical, as seen in the care and precision he takes in planning the murder; “Every night about twelve o’clock I slowly opened his door…for seven nights I did this, seven long nights…” Although the narrator had nothing against the old man, “I did not hate the old man; I even loved him”, he is driven to murder by the obsession of the old man’s “vulture” eye.
The study of mental disorders and psychology was well demonstrated throughout the text. As a psychologist, Dr. Seward also helped show references that supported the idea of mental disorders. As the mood of the story begins normally, it slowly advances into an insane story line filled with vampires, and tainted animals. As the mood progresses throughout the story, the characters also start displaying further extensive behaviors to help support the behavioral disorders. The idea of reality, and paranoia is well stated in this article when Jodar states, “Thus, the boundaries between reality, dream, fantasy and paranoia are blurred in a world in which the four of them combine to create a collective, delusive monster embodied in the figure of Dracula, the vampire” (Jodar 37).
... It has almost become a friend. The paranormal encounters and psychological effects of the house made her almost, insane. Dr. Montague and the others all agreed that she needed to be home. It was for her own safety. The morning that Eleanor was scheduled to leave was like any other. Mrs. Dudley set out their breakfast, and all in all, it seemed like a normal day. Everyone gave their good-byes, and Theo was especially sad to see Eleanor go. Eleanor got into her car, but something wasn't right. Her mind was telling her that Hill House belonged to her. How dare they tell me to leave, and what gives them the right to make the rules? Hill House was HER house. In an act to save her dignity, Eleanor presses the gas. She turns the wheel and crashes straight into a tree. Her life had ended. After an ending like this, you begin to think. Was Hill House really haunted? Or was it the psyche of Eleanor Vance that caused these encounters? All in all, Eleanor was never accepted, and she finally found someone that accepted her for what she was. That someone was Hill House. This story became one of my favorites after reading it. I would recommend this book to any person who has been the outcast.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. “The Cask of Amontillado” simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the story as a whole is the theme of revenge, which Poe supports with his sophisticated use of direct and indirect factors, irony, and symbolism.
This essay examines "The Fall of the House of Usher" from the viewpoint that none of the events really happened -- or if they did, were exaggerated by the fear felt by the characters. The essay proposes that the action took place in the mind of the narrator and discusses the dream imagery present in the story and how this supports this theory.
He realizes that he has great power and should use it to save others from dying from darkness the evil lurking around killing people