tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post7269023719804588247..comments2024-02-05T10:41:31.777-05:00Comments on I Saw Lightning Fall: An Eldritch Education: "Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family"Loren Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-59178638766973929302013-02-01T12:40:07.921-05:002013-02-01T12:40:07.921-05:00It requires a great bit of maturity to know when t...It requires a great bit of maturity to know when to evaluate artistic skill apart from ideology -- and when to <i>not</i>. So far, I admire Lovecraft's ability to create a spooky atmosphere, but I can pretend that his ideology doesn't impact my enjoyment. Almost fatally, in this case.Loren Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-65543765381936688822013-01-31T12:12:12.332-05:002013-01-31T12:12:12.332-05:00Nnedi Okorafor, whose ethnicity matches her name, ...Nnedi Okorafor, whose ethnicity matches her name, was rather horrified when she received the World Fantasy Award--and found that it was a statue of Lovecraft.<br /><br />China Mieville shared sympathy, and recommended putting the statue with its face to a wall--so she could always be doing her writing behind Lovecraft's back. <br /><br />There is nothing in Lovecraft's personal correspondence to indicate metahorror--and lots to indicate his fervent racism.<br /><br />Still...he can do creepy with the best of them. Maybe HE is metahorror, without even knowing it.Chestertonian Ramblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550643992523840950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-50586688558463008172013-01-31T09:51:24.267-05:002013-01-31T09:51:24.267-05:00Yeah, I don't think he's writing metahorro...Yeah, I don't think he's writing metahorror, although he could be. As you say, maybe metahorror is the best way to describe our reactions to it.<br /><br />Myself, I can appreciate the structure somewhat, but the racisms really puts a dent in my enjoyment. And in this one, it's so <i>blatant</i>.Loren Eatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12488412683340389286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025264318423694875.post-44980925944363337142013-01-31T09:31:01.872-05:002013-01-31T09:31:01.872-05:00Agreed. There were times I struggled to grasp the ...Agreed. There were times I struggled to grasp the horror of the story past the horror of Lovecraft's bigotry. And if I ignored it, did that mean I embraced it and became complicit with his racism, classism and nihilism?<br /><br />OR<br /><br />Lovecraft was writing metahorror - the reader is horrified that he embraced the premise of the horror story.B. Nagelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07620736939701035617noreply@blogger.com