The Colour Out of Space

Lovecraft’s horrors are usually not supernatural, although the tools and the science may not yet (or ever) be available to explain them. Compare Lovecraft to writers who employ more supernatural horrors, such as ghosts, demons, and vampires. Which is more frightening? Why?

Most horror stories begin with the monster unseen, but it is usually explained, or at least revealed, at the end. Lovecraft never reveals or explains the nature of the meteorite or the colour. Does this add or detract from the story? Does the “monster” remain frightening after the story is over? Compare to other authors/stories.

Lovecraft intimates that human beings greatly overestimate their own importance in the scheme of the cosmos. Would you agree with his worldview? Why or why not?

The meteorite that hits the Gardner farm never attracts the interest of any authorities other than the scientist who soon forget about it. Does that seem realistic? Could that happen today? Are there modern examples?

Lovecraft implies in this story and in much of his other work that humans are helpless in the face of cosmic horrors. Consequently, his characters often don’t take action to help themselves or combat the menace. Is that realistic? Is that how people behave in the face of the terrifying unknown? Are there modern examples?

Lovecraft set out to create a genuinely foreign alien. How well did he succeed? Compare to other popular fictional aliens such as in Star Trek or Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise. Which aliens or type of aliens seems the most realistic to you? Why?

What is the fascination of cosmic horror? Is there something we can learn about ourselves from contemplating a universe in which we might be utterly insignificant?

The idea of forbidden knowledge driving someone “mad” is one of Lovecraft’s most pervasive themes. Do you find this realistic in “The Colour Out of Space”? Why or why not? What role do fear and ignorance play in the story?