Extollager
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2010
- Messages
- 9,241
Apparently my word cacophilia, the love of the ugly, really is a neologism and not the invention independently of what's been invented before. This thread will be, I hope, a place to discuss why some people are drawn to creating and contemplating art that emphasizes the ugly.
Lovecraft seems preoccupied with the ugly in much of his fiction. The most detailed description of a person that he ever wrote, unless I'm mistaken, was that of the malformed Wilbur Whateley, in "The Dunwich Horror." Parodists have for decades targeted Lovecraft's indulgence in descriptions of rotting buildings, "mouldering" bones, ugly faces, etc.
One can hardly avoid the drawings and paintings of Lovecraft fans who try to outdo one another in the depiction of monsters.
I understand the appeal for a certain type of story of trying to crank up atmosphere and suspense with the threat of monsters.
And many an adolescent buy has amused himself with efforts to draw monsters. Is it mostly just kids who create and collect and contemplate these things?
I think there's something going on in some of this that I'll probably bring up before long, but here's a launching of a thread.
"Elephant in the living room" because it's so obvious that there's this phenomenon but it doesn't seem to get talked about -- as to why? Surely it is strange.
There are ugly creatures in much popular literature -- Tolkien's Orcs, for example. But he hardly describes them, if you read the books (as opposed to watching movies). And I don;t think the Tolkien fans spend endless hours drawing orcs and trying to outdo one another in the drawing of same. The Balrog is frightening, but I'm not sure "ugly" is exactly the description... And there's so much in Tolkien that is pleasant or even beautiful.
Lovecraft did describe some charming scenes -- sunsets, notably. It is not that he had no feeling at all for the beautiful.
All right -- there are some seed-thoughts and remarks; maybe others will comment.
Lovecraft seems preoccupied with the ugly in much of his fiction. The most detailed description of a person that he ever wrote, unless I'm mistaken, was that of the malformed Wilbur Whateley, in "The Dunwich Horror." Parodists have for decades targeted Lovecraft's indulgence in descriptions of rotting buildings, "mouldering" bones, ugly faces, etc.
One can hardly avoid the drawings and paintings of Lovecraft fans who try to outdo one another in the depiction of monsters.
I understand the appeal for a certain type of story of trying to crank up atmosphere and suspense with the threat of monsters.
And many an adolescent buy has amused himself with efforts to draw monsters. Is it mostly just kids who create and collect and contemplate these things?
I think there's something going on in some of this that I'll probably bring up before long, but here's a launching of a thread.
"Elephant in the living room" because it's so obvious that there's this phenomenon but it doesn't seem to get talked about -- as to why? Surely it is strange.
There are ugly creatures in much popular literature -- Tolkien's Orcs, for example. But he hardly describes them, if you read the books (as opposed to watching movies). And I don;t think the Tolkien fans spend endless hours drawing orcs and trying to outdo one another in the drawing of same. The Balrog is frightening, but I'm not sure "ugly" is exactly the description... And there's so much in Tolkien that is pleasant or even beautiful.
Lovecraft did describe some charming scenes -- sunsets, notably. It is not that he had no feeling at all for the beautiful.
All right -- there are some seed-thoughts and remarks; maybe others will comment.