The Fear of Transformation
Imagine being in an unknown environment. There are unusual people, strange noises, and a dreadful vibe floating in the air. The abnormality of this environment is quite discomforting. All these things are what make transformations sources of fear, especially in literature. Such transformations can be seen in the Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" and "The Fall of the House of Usher", Joyce Carol Oates's "Where is Here?", Ishmael Reed's "beware: do not read this poem", Julio Cortazar's "House Taken Over", and Louise Erdrich's "Windigo". Transformation in stories meant to scare one is evident because of shifts in character's personalities, changes in setting, and abrupt/strange occurrences throughout the story.
Transformation …show more content…
To begin, in "The Fall of the House of Usher", the House of Usher collapses. The house is destroyed in a very violent manner by Madeline, who escapes her coffin to plot revenge upon Rodrick (Poe 30). Once the house is destroyed, it symbolizes the end of the Usher family. This change leaves the reader wondering if the siblings are still alive, or questioning where the narrator left to. In addition, in "Where is Here?", after the stranger leaves, the appearance of the house begins to change. When the Father aggressively dismisses him, a sudden dullness sets into the home which can be seen in this quote, "...The lights were flickering...The patterned wallpaper seemed drained of color...Robust green of the carpeting looked faded," (Oates 76). This peculiar incident leaves the reader curious and scared as the stranger could have possibly cursed the home. Another example of modifications of setting can be seen in "House Taken Over" when sections of the house are taken. Irene and the narrator surrender sections of their house in response to the noises they hear. In no time, they’ve given up their entire home and are left in the street with no possessions or money (Cortazar 42). This sudden change in the character's lives leaves the reader to infer where they will live or what was taking the house in the first place. Therefore, in "The Fall of the House of Usher", "Where is Here?", and "House Taken …show more content…
For example, the stranger from "Where Is Here?" showing the son the geometrical design. The main takeaway from the design was the element of infinity. The interpretation of the symbol is left to the reader to decipher and infer what the significance of it is. Another instance in which atypical events occur is in "Windigo" when the Windigo is coming to the child. The reader is given no context of why the Windigo is coming for that particular child and whether the child committed a bad deed or not (Erdrich). Furthermore, in "Where is Here?," readers may find it odd as to why the parents would not allow the stranger permission to enter the basement, and fear can be present as to what is in there. The uneasiness of the situation is showcased in the quote by the omniscient narrator, "...This was not a part of the house the father and mother would have been comfortable showing to a stranger," (Oates 71). Sensing the parent's discomfort, the stranger simply changes the topic by inspecting a different portion of the house, thus relieving the mother and father of their anxiety. All in all, bizarre happenings take place in "Where is Here?" and
Imagine being in an unknown environment. There are unusual people, strange noises, and a dreadful vibe floating in the air. The abnormality of this environment is quite discomforting. All these things are what make transformations sources of fear, especially in literature. Such transformations can be seen in the Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" and "The Fall of the House of Usher", Joyce Carol Oates's "Where is Here?", Ishmael Reed's "beware: do not read this poem", Julio Cortazar's "House Taken Over", and Louise Erdrich's "Windigo". Transformation in stories meant to scare one is evident because of shifts in character's personalities, changes in setting, and abrupt/strange occurrences throughout the story.
Transformation …show more content…
To begin, in "The Fall of the House of Usher", the House of Usher collapses. The house is destroyed in a very violent manner by Madeline, who escapes her coffin to plot revenge upon Rodrick (Poe 30). Once the house is destroyed, it symbolizes the end of the Usher family. This change leaves the reader wondering if the siblings are still alive, or questioning where the narrator left to. In addition, in "Where is Here?", after the stranger leaves, the appearance of the house begins to change. When the Father aggressively dismisses him, a sudden dullness sets into the home which can be seen in this quote, "...The lights were flickering...The patterned wallpaper seemed drained of color...Robust green of the carpeting looked faded," (Oates 76). This peculiar incident leaves the reader curious and scared as the stranger could have possibly cursed the home. Another example of modifications of setting can be seen in "House Taken Over" when sections of the house are taken. Irene and the narrator surrender sections of their house in response to the noises they hear. In no time, they’ve given up their entire home and are left in the street with no possessions or money (Cortazar 42). This sudden change in the character's lives leaves the reader to infer where they will live or what was taking the house in the first place. Therefore, in "The Fall of the House of Usher", "Where is Here?", and "House Taken …show more content…
For example, the stranger from "Where Is Here?" showing the son the geometrical design. The main takeaway from the design was the element of infinity. The interpretation of the symbol is left to the reader to decipher and infer what the significance of it is. Another instance in which atypical events occur is in "Windigo" when the Windigo is coming to the child. The reader is given no context of why the Windigo is coming for that particular child and whether the child committed a bad deed or not (Erdrich). Furthermore, in "Where is Here?," readers may find it odd as to why the parents would not allow the stranger permission to enter the basement, and fear can be present as to what is in there. The uneasiness of the situation is showcased in the quote by the omniscient narrator, "...This was not a part of the house the father and mother would have been comfortable showing to a stranger," (Oates 71). Sensing the parent's discomfort, the stranger simply changes the topic by inspecting a different portion of the house, thus relieving the mother and father of their anxiety. All in all, bizarre happenings take place in "Where is Here?" and