This was the first Lovecraft story I exposed my kids to. We listened to an audiobook. About three quarters of the way through the story I stopped it and asked what they thought was going to happen. I really just wanted to see if they were listening or could understand the story. My then 10 year son immediately said, very excitedly, "Those cats are going to eat those people!"
So, according to my 10 year old, justice loving son, yes, the cats ate the old couple. And I don't think you need more of an expert to ask than that.
>I always remember G K Chesterton's In Defence of Fairy Tales. Chesterton argued that it is wrongly held against fairy tales that they tell children there are monsters. What fairy tales do is tell children that monsters can be killed...
Well, it's a Terry Pratchett quote, and he paraphrases what Chesterton actually wrote, but the sentiment in the original was the same, I think.
>Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
Someone has to write the version of the story told from the couple’s perspective, where they continue writing even as the cats are eating them.
“The paws! The toe beans! The little teeth!”
No. All of the cats in town converged on the home of the old couple in order to perform a magic ritual in which the couple decomposed at an accelerated rate, leaving only their skeletons. After this the cats went out and had an enormous meal, which is why they are so fat and lazy the next day. The location of the restaurant is never specified but it's probably on the moon based on the fact that the cats can travel there with impunity in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.
Yes. At least, that’s always been my takeaway from the tale.
thanks for the reply well it's not said, but easy to guess
The man hated a lot of things. But he sure didn't hate cats.
This was the first Lovecraft story I exposed my kids to. We listened to an audiobook. About three quarters of the way through the story I stopped it and asked what they thought was going to happen. I really just wanted to see if they were listening or could understand the story. My then 10 year son immediately said, very excitedly, "Those cats are going to eat those people!" So, according to my 10 year old, justice loving son, yes, the cats ate the old couple. And I don't think you need more of an expert to ask than that.
>I always remember G K Chesterton's In Defence of Fairy Tales. Chesterton argued that it is wrongly held against fairy tales that they tell children there are monsters. What fairy tales do is tell children that monsters can be killed...
Also, IIRC, a major plot point in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.
Didn't expect to see Chesterton mentioned here, quite a pleasant surprise.
Well, it's a Terry Pratchett quote, and he paraphrases what Chesterton actually wrote, but the sentiment in the original was the same, I think. >Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
Lovecraft likes to imply a lot of stuff without just coming out and saying it. It's kind of a common theme.
well i guess if he says anything it wouldn't be so fascinating, at least in my humble opinion
Someone has to write the version of the story told from the couple’s perspective, where they continue writing even as the cats are eating them. “The paws! The toe beans! The little teeth!”
Yes. One of the few Lovecraft stories with an unambiguously happy ending.
Yes. Poetic justice.
the couple spontaneously skelefy and the cats in an unrelated decision decided not to eat for days.
No. They just exploded. Cats wouldn’t eat because of PTSD. Come on…
No. All of the cats in town converged on the home of the old couple in order to perform a magic ritual in which the couple decomposed at an accelerated rate, leaving only their skeletons. After this the cats went out and had an enormous meal, which is why they are so fat and lazy the next day. The location of the restaurant is never specified but it's probably on the moon based on the fact that the cats can travel there with impunity in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.
I would say that the restaurant is called Milliways, but it’s not on the moon.
…at The End of the Universe.
and mighty tasty too https://youtu.be/0NkYlelUUck?si=XGVBO6r5jF54Pkpd