There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.
Sometimes one feels that it would be merciful to tear down these houses, for they must often dream.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the buildings around us may have emotions or dreams, reflecting human experiences and struggles.
H. P. Lovecraft's quote evokes the idea that inanimate objects, like houses, might possess their own dreams or stories, highlighting the deep connection between human existence and the environment. The term 'merciful' implies a sense of empathy for these structures, as if they, too, bear the weight of history and the dreams of those who reside within them. This contemplation points to the broader philosophical implications of existence and the projection of human emotions onto the world around us.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could inspire a discussion about the emotional weight of our living spaces during a speech on architecture.
More from H. P. Lovecraft
All quotes →I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places.
The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.
No new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace.
I am, indeed, an absolute materialist so far as actual belief goes; with not a shred of credence in any form of supernaturalism—religion, spiritualism, transcendentalism, metempsychosis, or immortality.
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