H. P. Lovecraft: A Creative Case Study It is safe to say that most who enter a specific field seek to leave a lasting impact upon that will last long after they are dead and gone. Obviously, not all end up so fortunate; to create such a powerful legacy, one must be truly innovative and bring something truly unique to the table. In the field of creativity studies there is a model of understanding creativity called the Four C Model. In the article Beyond Big and Little: The Four C Model of Creativity Big C creativity is stated to be made up of clear-cut, eminent creative contributions (2) In this model, individuals like those previously described are considered “Big C” creatives. There have been many individuals in history that have gown …show more content…
While he had a relatively short career due to his early death in 1937 at the age of 46, his unique style and approach to horror, as well as the mythos most of his stories were based upon, have created a legacy that has lasted through the decades and continues to affect horror, fantasy, and science-fiction writers to this day. His reported writing skill and modern fame are enough of a draw for any who study creativity. There are many aspects of Lovecraft’s life and work that could rightfully earn him a spot in the Big C category. For instance, Big C individuals are, typically, recognized for their brilliance posthumously; Lovecraft was virtually unknown as a writer when he was alive and did not gain recognition until sometime after his death. He was actually unable to support himself solely through his writing and had to live frugally while living off a quickly shrinking inheritance. Lovecraft is also validated as Big C by how his work has affected the horror genre. One of the most notable affects has actually been the creation of an entire sub-genre known as Lovecraftian Horror. This sub-genre, like Lovecraft’s works, largely focuses on cosmic horror, the unknown and unknowable, and the fragility of sanity. Not only does his sub-genre continue to thrive, but Lovecraft’s work inspires many other authors to this day, notably the contemporary …show more content…
As previously stated, Lovecraft had very little success as a writer in his time. He did have a self-published magazine called The Conservative and several of his short stories were published in the horror magazine Weird Tales, but beyond this there was little to his career. After his death, authors that he was close friends with championed his works and even borrowed elements from his creations. His works steadily grew in popularity over time, but he still did not receive much in terms of accolades. He did receive a memorial in his native Providence, Rhode Island but little else beyond that. His achievements are based in what he left
Creativity drives today’s world, with new technology arriving daily and science conducting itself further. We need creative and imaginative people in today’s atmosphere to bring the world to the next step forward. “Standardized college admissions tests assess only analytical skills, as well as the knowledge base on which they act, and completely ignore creative and practical skills (Sternberg 7)”. Without creative people in this world, where do you think we would be? Not very far. We need practical skills to go throughout everyday life. The standardized tests don’t test for that knowledge base, they test how much short term memory a
From the perspective of the state, what purposes would be served by arresting and torturing Vladimir Tchernavin?
S. I. Hayakawa wrote and published an article named "What lt Means to Be Creative". This article challenged how a creative person could be defined and identified. In Hayakawa’s essay he presents several points of view an individual could be characterized as being creative. His writing forces you to contemplate on how a person’s aptitudes are categorized. Hayakawa tests your ability to be opened minded and makes you visualize how a person could be described as a creative individual but may discredited themselves due to society’s standard of this word. After reading his writing, I believe I can summarize his analogy.
Creative ideas are the foundation of the creative process (Goodman & Fritchie, 2011). To change the way a person thinks about an issue, or to find a solution to the problem is what many of the ideas revolve around. The level of greatness that each thinker is famous for is acquired throughout their life. There are a few things that all famous thinkers have similarities in that allow them to hold the position a “famous thinker.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 3, 1929) and Bertrand Russell (May 18, 1872-February 2, 1970) are two famous thinkers that are discussed in this paper. Each of these men changed the way people viewed the issues of the day through the creative
Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King are famous for their works in horror. Who are these authors and why do they write these horrifying tales? Edgar Allan Poe’s life and literary works are more ominous than Stephen King’s life and literary work.
In H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “The call of Cthulhu,” written in 1926, Lovecraft does not give his main character a name. H.P. Lovecraft does not tell the readers anything about the main character besides that his great uncle, George Gammell Angell, has died in an accident. When George Gammell Angell dies the main character goes through George’s things, finding George’s manuscript that starts the main characters investigation. The main character may not be given a name or have much development behind his character, but the main character is the narrator of the entire short story. However, there are some points of inner dialogue from the main character so the readers can understand his emotions. H.P. Lovecraft, although he does not develop the main character to a large extent, does develop the side characters to the point we know who they are and what happened to them. George Gammell Angell, as stated above, is the main characters great uncle, as well as, a professor at Brown University before his sudden accidental death. H.P. Lovecraft goes as far as describing George Gammell Angell’s death:
Edgar Allan Poe created a new perspective in literature that influenced future authors. He was fascinated by the world of madness, trances and horror, which influenced his literature. Moreover, Poe’s work produced a realistic image of mental states that appealed to many different audiences. His distinctive perspective lured horror fans to read more. Instead of focusing on the gloomy setting and eerie mood, Poe focused on the psychology of terror. Consequently, this made him stand out from most authors in the 18th century.
Stephan King is easily one of the most well-known writers in the horror genre. Often regarded as “The Master of Horror,” King’s impact on the horror genre is remarkable, and he has written both books and screenplays. Many of his works have been turned into movies, further increasing his popularity. Most people at least vaguely know who Stephen King is, but not many know his real story. In today’s time Stephen King entrances audiences and his classic books are converted into screenplays for movies.
Howard Phillip Lovecraft was known after his death as being a significantly influential horror fiction writer. One of the works that Lovecraft is known for is the The Alchemist and it is one of the many stories he has written that has influenced many other writers like John Carpenter. Carpenter is the director for the movie In the Mouth of Madness which was influenced by the Lovecraft’s theme cosmic indifferentism. In both works one can see the development of a hero in a horror genre story.
Asking a child which snack he prefers, a vegetable or something better suited for dessert, it is more than likely he will choose the tooth-rotting goodness of his favorite treat, even if it is against his parents’ demands. It is quite extraordinary how a child, although in a situation less life-changing than an adult may be in, can also make the choice to do something ruthless because it is too irresistible to pass up. Due to this atavistic tendency, the message of making the right choices is ubiquitous in media. In Michael Lehmann’s drama Heathers, Veronica Sawyer finds difficulty in assuaging her situation because of her oscillation between choosing to carry out all opportunities to take revenge or to stick to ethics, leading into the idea
Satan has his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and detested
H.P. Lovecraft wrote the short story, “The Dunwich horror,” in 1928 and had it published in april of 1929. He has written other works such as “The Call of Cthulhu,” “Dagon,” “The Shadow over Innsmouth,” “The Colour Out of Space,” and “From Beyond.” Many common themes within his work are non human influences on humanity and forbidden knowledge. In many of his stories there are unknown creatures that cause humans to go insane. Also, his short stories have curiosity of the unknown. H.P Lovecraft likes to write about science fiction and mythology. Most of his pieces have mythological creatures that he either makes up or learns about from other cultures. In “The Dunwich Horror” he uses characterization to build up the suspense and views from each
Edgar Allen Poe lived a very traumatic life and faced very hard obstacles which would later inspire him to write or in other words form the gothic and horror genre. He was born on January 19, 1809 and unfortunately passed away on October 7th, 1849. His grief started at a young age when his father walked out on him and his mother passed away at the age of two. With the loss of his mother who he loved dearly and having to move away from his siblings also appended to the grief Edgar faced. Yet again when he was forced to move off to college his stepfather refused to help Edgar pay for school. This caused him to spiral into a deep depression. Many other students would come to look at his artworks and poems. Edgar used many stories to incorporate his
In the book Frankenstein’s Monster, written by Mary Shelley, a monster is created from the body of a man. The scientist loses control of the creature, and it goes on a rampage, until it the creature gets caught on an iceberg and floats out to sea.
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most influential writers of the horror genre in American history. His horror stories have impacted numerous authors and their stories over the years. Various people have tried to copy his way of writing style, but they have failed to achieve the success he did. Even though Poe is no longer living, his impact on American literature can still be felt today.