August Derleth

way. Others might say that this poem is a commentary on Lovecraft’s beliefs on humanity and attitude about death. Further analysis of this work reveals that it is a somber poem highlighting Lovecraft’s forlorn character, atheism, and copious amounts of depression. We can see Lovecraft’s disbelief of the world and extreme cynicism being shown in the poem. His explanation of what was beyond the gate in his poem makes it very clear that there was nothing there; an endless void, oblivion. Lovecraft has been known for his cynicism and hate of the world. He gained a sort of cult following because of it; his horror elements coupled with doleful philosophies made him immensely famous amongst horror readers across the world. In a letter to August Derleth we can see Lovecraft stating very clearly that “everything. . .is trivial”. He is not shy to state that he is “the profoundest cynic of them all” because he “[recognizes] no absolute values” (220). This sentiment is reflected in many of his works and particularly in the Ex Oblivione. But as the gate swung wider and the sorcery of drug and dream pushed me through, I knew that all sights and glories were at an end; for in that new realm was neither land nor sea, but only the white void of unpeopled and illimitable space. So, happier than I had ever dared hoped to be, I dissolved again into that native infinity of crystal oblivion (Eldritch Tales Stanza 11) Here we see the narrator of the poem becoming overjoyed at the fact that there…

Troy, Rose, and the Maxson Family in Wilson’s Fences Troy Maxson is the main character in Fences and he thought he could be in complete control everyone that was close to him. As being read, it is easy to make the case that August Wilson 's play Fences is a tragedy and that Troy Maxson is its tragic protagonist (Wessling). Troy is a poor black man who once had a dream of becoming a major league baseball player. He never became a major league baseball player, because he was an African American.…

In Franz Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis, the reader is presented with an underlying theme of alienation. This state of alienation or estrangement is seen by the isolation of the main character from a group or activity and their loss or lack of sympathy. Gregor Samsa loses his identity through the estrangement of his obligation to financially support his family and his duty as a traveling salesman. This estrangement is initially somewhat apparent by his physical transformation and later on thoroughly…

Coping Essay A Separate Peace is a novel written by John Knowles, in which the main character Gene Forrester is a student at Devon and he is competing with his best friend Finny. He pushes Finny off the tree and Finny shattered his leg. Finny died a few months later because of another accident. But Finny loves his friend, but Gene does not know that. Finny tries to cope with his problems by training Gene for an Olympics that will not happen, denying that there is a war going on, and his love of…

"I'm talking about if you could play ball then they ought to have let you play. Don't care what color you were." Troy talks about his dissatisfaction from playing baseball and how you were treated bad if you weren’t white. He doesn’t even want his own son to have the opportunity to play sports. A college recruiter was going to come by cory’s house to possibly give him the opportunity to go to college and play football, but troy told the recruiter that cory won’t be playing football anymore. He…

When the past is often discussed, few truly recognize the importance of how previous trails aid with the development of the future. Knowledge gained from prior actions, and their consequences after, are vital in survival and preparation for upcoming tribulations. In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, this artful theater production expresses how the past provides the necessary understanding to prepare for the following difficulties. Bernice in The Piano Lesson conveys how the past, and former…

Both Ghost Sonata and The Beggar have similar approaches when it comes to stage directions; their philosophy is more is more. We are first introduced to Ghost Sonata with a page and a half long stage direction that rivals Shaw. In it there is an incredible amount of detail. It describes what each character is doing onstage at all moments of the scene; it also gives as much information as possible regarding the atmosphere. “A steamship’s bell ring, and now and then silence is pierced by low…

Have you ever thought of what your family might be like if you left them? August Wilson wrote the play Fences in 1985. The main characters are Troy, Rose, and Cory. Rose is Troy’s wife and Cory is their son. Fences is a story about the struggles of an African-American family during the late 50s to early 60s. Family and obligation is an important theme in Fences because it shows how important it is to take care of and be there for your family. It also shows August Wilson’s message of how things…

It is said that in many works of literature, past events can affect, positively or negatively, the present actions attitudes, or values of a character. A play in which a character must contend with an aspect from the past is The Piano Lesson by August Wilson. In August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Bernice, struggles with her family’s slavery history, which reveals that not everyone’s past can reveal or prove the person they are today. Throughout The Piano Lesson, Bernice is constantly getting into…

Family values in Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” is portrayal as the same way a business is run. When the leader of the family can’t perform the job anymore someone must take his place. You can see this when Gregor’s father takes it upon himself to lead the family after Gregor fails to do his job. The family also shows business mentality of firing anyone that hurts the business. They did this when they were talking about getting rid of Gregor as he only held the family back. Doesn’t matter what…