New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Call of Cthulhu

The Call of Cthulhu (1928)

H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft, born Howard Phillips Lovecraft, (born August 20, 1890, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.—died March 15, 1937, Providence), American author of fantastic and macabre short novels and stories, one of the 20th-century masters of the Gothic tale of terror.

Lovecraft was interested in science from childhood, but lifelong poor health prevented him from attending college. He made his living as a ghostwriter and rewrite man and spent most of his life in seclusion and poverty. His fame as a writer increased after his death.

The Call of Cthulhu

Written in 1926 and published in Weird Tales in 1928, H. P. Lovecraft's "The Call of Cthulhu" is one of the earliest examples of cosmic horror, a sub-genre of horror that deals with themes of human insignificance in the face of a cold, unfeeling universe. This short story is also famous for the introduction of Lovecraft's most famous and recognizable monster in all of his mythos, the titular Cthulhu.

Discussion Questions for The Call of Cthulhu

Was this story different to what you were expecting?

What did you think of the narratives? And what do you think happened to Thurston (the first narrator) after the story ended?

What did you think of the way Cthulhu was represented in the story?

Would you call this classic this as a horror story?

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