TTH 5 gr A

The Hellbound Heart, Clive Barker, 1986

Summary : a man called Frank tries to solve a puzzle box made by someone named Lemarchand. This puzzle is a complex music box, and it is compared to Chinese puzzles found in Hong-Kong. It's got a "perverse logic" to it.

 Characterization :  Frank is described as being curious, persevering and looking for answers. He's also intelligent, and a bit of a traveller. Coincidentally, he will be one of the villains of the story. The fact that it's a third person narrative certainly helps : by identifying with him, we'll understand his objectives later on.

The other character is the box : it's personified with human attributes (it's got "logic" and it has two distinct origins). It also works as a link, as a reference point with Poe and the Gothic literature : it's said to be "perverse" and "sublime." Finally, it contains "wonders" inside (with its mirror surfaces), and is labyrinthine, just like the story itself. 

 

The Town Manager, Thomas Ligotti, 2003

Summary : One morning, we learn that the town manager has disappeared. A man called Carnes wants to search for him, he is the only one who has details on the disappearance. 

Characterization : Carnes is described as meticulous and persevering. Now the eponymous character (le personnage éponyme) is called THE town manager only. Carnes is the only one to be given a name. Interestingly, it's a third person plural narrative. The setting is also vague and confusing (it's sometime in the 20th or 21st century, somewhere in America - "Main Street").

As a way of conclusion, we can say that Poe has been highly influential in horror writing, but also in popular culture at large. Some of his stories have attained cult status. Now what makes him relevant to this day probably is his use of internal horror and narrative doubt.