If you're reading this, you have stumbled upon the least devoted blogger in the world.
I started this Blog because I thought it would be interesting to delve into Horror and see what is so enticing about having the bejeezus scared out of us that we keep going back for more. I picked House of Leaves (HoL) to try to study that point.
I believe there are many causes of failure on my part to keep this blog alive, but perhaps one of them is that, when it's all said and done, I do not view House of Leaves as Horror. It truly is as advertised, a novel. It depicts fictitious life in a very realistic way. The book is a story about life, triumphs, struggles, guilt, and suffering.
Dearest Readers, I apologize for my lack of faith to this blog, and I have decided to stop deluding myself into thinking I should write. There's enough forums and notes on HoL as is.
Thank you
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
If it exists...
Dearest Readers,
I have spent some time looking over the footnotes from the previous chapters. I have also looked at others' blogs on how to generate a sense of horror. First, footnotes:
Alright, the first two are not footnotes, but still fun to look into.
The first thing I read in House of Leaves, was the simple phrase "This is not for you." At first, I figured it was a satirical jab at the idea that books must be dedicated to someone. Instead, the author informs the reader that no one is to think that this book should resonate with them on some profound level. This concept actually did facilitate the uneasy ambiance for myself.
Following Truant's introduction, the phrase "Muss es sein?" Now, many have translated this from German to mean "Must it be?" A quick Google search will yield "Es muss sein", from the book The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera, which is translated to "It must be", a declaration of fate for one character. A detailed analysis of the significance of "Es muss sein" in The Unbearable Lightness of Being from the good folks at shmoop.com here. However, as for House of Leaves, I speculate the phrase is used as a question for the reader after the claim "This book is not for you." The reader is asked if the book must pertain to them on some philosophical level in order to be appreciated.
Daniel Bowler's "Resurrection on Ash Tree Lane: Elvis, Christmas Past, and Other Non-Entities" appears to not exist. Or perhaps it lies somewhere in the appendices. The same goes for Lee Sinclair's Degenerate.
Now, there are plenty other footnotes, but these stuck out to me, as they enhance the experience for myself. A friend of mine brought up the Cottingley Fairies, and how she and her boyfriend were going to include some of the pictures in the appendix in their editions, to enhance the reading experience for whomsoever inherits their books. It's an interesting idea, and I cannot criticize it as I am in a sense performing the same stunt. However, I want to focus on the world the Danielewski has created for us. It is the age of the internet, after all. If it exists, we can find it.
Speaking of the internet, I found a post that details the necessities of writing an effective horror piece. It was on a blog by Karen Woodward. I think it is a good read and encourage everyone to give it a read.
Until next post!
***************************
UPDATE
After a little reading, I find that the typeface for "This book is not for you" is the same that Johnny Truant uses throughout the book (Courier), meaning it must be a message from Mr. Truant.
However, "Muss es sein" is in the typeface of Zampano (Times). This may be a minute detail, but it is important, as Danielewski endeavors to provide a somewhat dichotomy between Truant and Zampano. It has been seen before that Truant does alter some of Zampano's writing, as in chapter II, where Truant adds the word "water" in front of "heater". However, this seems different. In the incident involving the "water heater", Truant makes it a point to bitch about his cold water situation while trying to make it look like Zampano's book is mystically affecting his life, which he then admits is demonstrably a prefabricated scheme.
I have spent some time looking over the footnotes from the previous chapters. I have also looked at others' blogs on how to generate a sense of horror. First, footnotes:
Alright, the first two are not footnotes, but still fun to look into.
The first thing I read in House of Leaves, was the simple phrase "This is not for you." At first, I figured it was a satirical jab at the idea that books must be dedicated to someone. Instead, the author informs the reader that no one is to think that this book should resonate with them on some profound level. This concept actually did facilitate the uneasy ambiance for myself.
Following Truant's introduction, the phrase "Muss es sein?" Now, many have translated this from German to mean "Must it be?" A quick Google search will yield "Es muss sein", from the book The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera, which is translated to "It must be", a declaration of fate for one character. A detailed analysis of the significance of "Es muss sein" in The Unbearable Lightness of Being from the good folks at shmoop.com here. However, as for House of Leaves, I speculate the phrase is used as a question for the reader after the claim "This book is not for you." The reader is asked if the book must pertain to them on some philosophical level in order to be appreciated.
Daniel Bowler's "Resurrection on Ash Tree Lane: Elvis, Christmas Past, and Other Non-Entities" appears to not exist. Or perhaps it lies somewhere in the appendices. The same goes for Lee Sinclair's Degenerate.
Now, there are plenty other footnotes, but these stuck out to me, as they enhance the experience for myself. A friend of mine brought up the Cottingley Fairies, and how she and her boyfriend were going to include some of the pictures in the appendix in their editions, to enhance the reading experience for whomsoever inherits their books. It's an interesting idea, and I cannot criticize it as I am in a sense performing the same stunt. However, I want to focus on the world the Danielewski has created for us. It is the age of the internet, after all. If it exists, we can find it.
Speaking of the internet, I found a post that details the necessities of writing an effective horror piece. It was on a blog by Karen Woodward. I think it is a good read and encourage everyone to give it a read.
Until next post!
***************************
UPDATE
After a little reading, I find that the typeface for "This book is not for you" is the same that Johnny Truant uses throughout the book (Courier), meaning it must be a message from Mr. Truant.
However, "Muss es sein" is in the typeface of Zampano (Times). This may be a minute detail, but it is important, as Danielewski endeavors to provide a somewhat dichotomy between Truant and Zampano. It has been seen before that Truant does alter some of Zampano's writing, as in chapter II, where Truant adds the word "water" in front of "heater". However, this seems different. In the incident involving the "water heater", Truant makes it a point to bitch about his cold water situation while trying to make it look like Zampano's book is mystically affecting his life, which he then admits is demonstrably a prefabricated scheme.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
It Begins.
Dearest Readers,
I have begun reading House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I unfortunately must report that my progress has been rather slow. I am afraid my work has kept me away from reading, as I have to rise out of bed at the ungodly hour of 3:30 in the morning if I want to arrive on time. Not to mention the damned coffee machine broke, it just boils the water at the top, not allowing the nozzle to spew forth the scalding water into the grounds. Thank goodness my parents have a tea kettle and I insisted on getting a french press. However I simply refuse to let it stand in my way. I may have only reached chapter 4, but I do have few things to note upon.
~~SPOILERS!?~~ (I plan on talking about the story that Lies within the pages of the book, and while I'm not going to tediously describe in great detail everything that happens, I will be talking about very specific events that unfold, particularly the ones with facets of horror.)
I find that Danielewski (or should I say, Zampano) makes it known in the beginning that rather unpleasant events will transpire in the future, but does not say what. The fact that some torturous occurrence will befall upon the inhabitants of the house is forthright, yet the what is mystery as of yet is what pulls me in. I like mystery. There was a page describing an overwhelming fear that took hold of Truant, as he stood in the tattoo parlor. It spoke specifically to the reader, explaining to them what to do to feel the same fear. I made an earnest attempt to follow the rules laid out by Mr. Truant, and it did not consume me as wholly as I had wished. I think that was the purpose. Perhaps the author wanted to lure the reader into a false sense of security, that "this is the worst it's gonna get" sensation. I hope so. I hope that this mere half-hearted monologue was simply a clever ruse that beLies the true horror that arises later.
I did however, disobey one of his orders, I turned my head to look behind me to make certain nothing was there. I don't really know why I did that. It was perfunctory.
I am starting to think that maybe I should include links to the footnotes that specifically call out folklore, such as when the author mentions the "Cottingley Fairies." Perhaps over the next few posts I may be able to provide images that prove useful.
I have begun reading House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I unfortunately must report that my progress has been rather slow. I am afraid my work has kept me away from reading, as I have to rise out of bed at the ungodly hour of 3:30 in the morning if I want to arrive on time. Not to mention the damned coffee machine broke, it just boils the water at the top, not allowing the nozzle to spew forth the scalding water into the grounds. Thank goodness my parents have a tea kettle and I insisted on getting a french press. However I simply refuse to let it stand in my way. I may have only reached chapter 4, but I do have few things to note upon.
~~SPOILERS!?~~ (I plan on talking about the story that Lies within the pages of the book, and while I'm not going to tediously describe in great detail everything that happens, I will be talking about very specific events that unfold, particularly the ones with facets of horror.)
I find that Danielewski (or should I say, Zampano) makes it known in the beginning that rather unpleasant events will transpire in the future, but does not say what. The fact that some torturous occurrence will befall upon the inhabitants of the house is forthright, yet the what is mystery as of yet is what pulls me in. I like mystery. There was a page describing an overwhelming fear that took hold of Truant, as he stood in the tattoo parlor. It spoke specifically to the reader, explaining to them what to do to feel the same fear. I made an earnest attempt to follow the rules laid out by Mr. Truant, and it did not consume me as wholly as I had wished. I think that was the purpose. Perhaps the author wanted to lure the reader into a false sense of security, that "this is the worst it's gonna get" sensation. I hope so. I hope that this mere half-hearted monologue was simply a clever ruse that beLies the true horror that arises later.
I did however, disobey one of his orders, I turned my head to look behind me to make certain nothing was there. I don't really know why I did that. It was perfunctory.
I am starting to think that maybe I should include links to the footnotes that specifically call out folklore, such as when the author mentions the "Cottingley Fairies." Perhaps over the next few posts I may be able to provide images that prove useful.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Bright-eyed and Bushy tailed
My name is Jack.
I wasn't always interested in Horror, in fact for a good majority of my life I hated it. My older brother had often tormented me when I was younger. It was his undertaking, and he was ordained by some higher being as the harbinger of terror. How? Usually by jumping out of the shadows when I had least surmised, occasionally wearing a mask. I know, pitiful, but I was just a kid. The worst things in life sneak up on you.
However, over the last few years, I have ascertained a new-found fascination with the prospect of what terrifies us humans, specifically in literature. Why literature? I feel it's easy to make cheap scares using video or audio. Not to say that all audio-visual horror is cheap jumpscares, they're not. But one can understand that using video or audio puts the spectator in the world that is created for them, it facilitates the illusion of a threat far more easily. Whereas through solely the use of words, the author must depend upon the reader to follow the words, and have the imagination and underlying alacrity to conjure up their own worst nightmare. The reader is the sole architect of their own fear; the author is merely providing a suggested design. As opposed to my brother, I find the jumpscare tactic to be Neanderthalic and shortsighted, providing the antagonist only a brief euphoria and fleeting satisfaction. Increasingly diminishing return upon each reenactment. Furthermore, the victim is merely scared for a second and left with feelings of embarrassment or shame. That is not valuable fear.
As I see it, anyway.
However, I do not wish to argue what the best kind of Horror is, I simply want to clarify that what I am specifically attempting to study here is psychological Horror via literature, the means of writing a sentence and letting the reader fill in the blanks. I am simply an amateur Horror enthusiast, so I will take my time studying different works of literature and will gladly take recommendations that any readers may make.
I have decided to start off with a book I have been anticipating reading for ages, Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves. It has been recommended to me by many friends, coworkers, and even just by hearsay from fellow listeners of Poe, Mr Danielewski's sister.
During the ensuing weeks, I will catalog the components and devices used throughout House of Leaves that very efficiently instill a feeling of dread (in me), and those that do not.
To my dearest readers, please do feel free to comment and offer opinions, as I am fond of conversing with individuals with ideas that contradict my own.
Welcome, my dear readers, to my Dark Society.
I wasn't always interested in Horror, in fact for a good majority of my life I hated it. My older brother had often tormented me when I was younger. It was his undertaking, and he was ordained by some higher being as the harbinger of terror. How? Usually by jumping out of the shadows when I had least surmised, occasionally wearing a mask. I know, pitiful, but I was just a kid. The worst things in life sneak up on you.
However, over the last few years, I have ascertained a new-found fascination with the prospect of what terrifies us humans, specifically in literature. Why literature? I feel it's easy to make cheap scares using video or audio. Not to say that all audio-visual horror is cheap jumpscares, they're not. But one can understand that using video or audio puts the spectator in the world that is created for them, it facilitates the illusion of a threat far more easily. Whereas through solely the use of words, the author must depend upon the reader to follow the words, and have the imagination and underlying alacrity to conjure up their own worst nightmare. The reader is the sole architect of their own fear; the author is merely providing a suggested design. As opposed to my brother, I find the jumpscare tactic to be Neanderthalic and shortsighted, providing the antagonist only a brief euphoria and fleeting satisfaction. Increasingly diminishing return upon each reenactment. Furthermore, the victim is merely scared for a second and left with feelings of embarrassment or shame. That is not valuable fear.
As I see it, anyway.
However, I do not wish to argue what the best kind of Horror is, I simply want to clarify that what I am specifically attempting to study here is psychological Horror via literature, the means of writing a sentence and letting the reader fill in the blanks. I am simply an amateur Horror enthusiast, so I will take my time studying different works of literature and will gladly take recommendations that any readers may make.
I have decided to start off with a book I have been anticipating reading for ages, Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves. It has been recommended to me by many friends, coworkers, and even just by hearsay from fellow listeners of Poe, Mr Danielewski's sister.
During the ensuing weeks, I will catalog the components and devices used throughout House of Leaves that very efficiently instill a feeling of dread (in me), and those that do not.
To my dearest readers, please do feel free to comment and offer opinions, as I am fond of conversing with individuals with ideas that contradict my own.
Welcome, my dear readers, to my Dark Society.
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