So far, in the room itself there had not been a sound. When the clock had struck ten, as it seemed to me, years ago, there came a rustling noise, from the direction of the bed. Feet stepped upon the floor, -moving towards where I was lying. It was, of course, now broad day, and I, presently, perceived that a figure, clad in some queer coloured garment, was standing at my side, looking down at me. It stooped, then knelt. My only covering was unceremoniously thrown off me, so that I lay there in my nakedness. Fingers prodded me then and there, as if I had been some beast ready for the butcher’s stall. A face looked into mine, and, in front of me, were those dreadful eyes. Then, whether I was dead or living, said to myself that this could be nothing human,- nothing fashioned in God’s image could ever wear such a shape as that. Fingers were pushed into my cheeks, they were thrust into my mouth, they touched my staring eyes, shut my eyelids, then opened them again, and -horror of horrors!- the blubber lips were pressed to mine – the soul of something evil entered into me with the guise of a kiss
Chapter 4, The Beetle
I honestly had a hard time figuring out what was going on for the majority of the reading. It’s very descriptive, yet also elusive all at once, both letting the reader to create their own images of what’s happening, but also having enough specific details in order to make the created image be off-putting and creepy. This is a perfect representation of the writing style. We don’t truly know what’s happening and the only real description we have of the man there are his “dreadful eyes” and “blubber lips”, though every reader’s image that they create of the man is that person’s version of a dreadful-looking large man.
When reading through the book, what description or setting was the most unsettling to you?
