To Kill A Mockingbird: Colour's Effect On Animals

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Colour’s Effect on Animals Similarly, the mystery meteor did not only effect the plants, but the animals around Nahum’s land as well. Referencing to the kill that a few hunters got near Nahum’s property, the story states that “[t]he proportions of its body seemed slightly altered in a queer way impossible to describe, while its face had taken on an expression which no one ever saw in a woodchuck before” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 6). This shows evidence of the hunters and the townspeople being a little freaked out about the mutations that the nearby wildlife is starting to exhibit. They do not know how to stop the mutations from happening. Much like the problems going on with the wildlife, the narrator describes that “[t]he swine began growing grey …show more content…

In the story, Lovecraft (1927) illustrates “[t]hey were failing curiously both physically and mentally, and no one was surprised when new of Mrs. Gardner’s madness stole around” (p. 8). This shows that while the meteor’s colours effected plants and animals more physically than anything, the Gardners’ minds were facing a much more unpleasant fate. Next, the story further extends the Gardners’ struggles by stating “[b]y July she had ceased to speak and crawl on all fours, and before that month was over Nahum got the mad notion that shee was slightly luminous in the dark, as he now clearly saw was the case with the nearby vegetation” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 8). This contradicts the notion of people only being affected mentally. Although true that mentally they are deteriorating at a faster rate than physically, the similarities between the illumination of Mrs. Gardner and the vegetation is not something to ignore. Finally, the story explains that “Thaddeus went mad in September after a visit to the well. He had gone with a pail and had come back empty-handed, shrieking and waving his arms, and sometimes lapsing into an insane titter or a whisper about ‘the moving colours down there’” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 9). This shows evidence of the well and the colours from the meteor being the cause of some of the Gardner family members going mad. It also gives the idea …show more content…

The narrator expresses that “I hurried back before sunset to my hotel, unwilling to have the stars come out above me in the open; and the next day returned to - Boston to give up my position” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 3). This shows that the surveyor who came to scope the place out for a reservoir was so frightened of the place - especially after hearing the true story from Ammi - that he immediately quit his job to save himself from ever having to go back there. Next, the narrator points out “[r]elief was all that he showed; relief at the doom of the dark ancient valleys through which he had roamed all his life. They were better under water now - better under water since the strange days” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 3). This shows that even Ammi, who had lived there all his life, including many years after the strange days - someone who should be used to it - still cannot get over and move past what happened or the residual feelings that come with the area. He would rather it be buried underwater. Finally, the narrator insists “I hope the water will always be very deep - but even so, I shall never drink it” (Lovecraft, 1927, p. 18). This further proves that the colour could break down people by using the water that they drink, and though Ammi and the surveyor want the reservoir to

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