The Colour Out of Space
| "The Colour Out of Space" | |
|---|---|
| Author | H. P. Lovecraft |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction, horror short story |
| Published in | Amazing Stories |
| Media type | Print (Magazine) |
| Publication date | September 1927 |
"The Colour Out of Space" is a short story written by American horror author H. P. Lovecraft in March 1927. In the tale, an unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" in the wild hills west of Arkham, Massachusetts. The narrator discovers that many years ago a meteorite crashed there, poisoning every living being nearby; vegetation grows large but foul tasting, animals are driven mad and deformed into grotesque shapes, and the people go insane or die one by one.
Lovecraft began writing "The Colour Out of Space" immediately after finishing his previous short novel, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and in the midst of final revision on his horror fiction essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature". Seeking to create a truly alien life form, he drew inspiration from numerous fiction and nonfiction sources. First appearing in the September 1927 edition of Hugo Gernsback's science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, "The Colour Out of Space" became one of Lovecraft's most popular works, and remained his personal favorite short story. It was adapted into feature film versions in 1965, 1987, and 2010.
An unnamed surveyor from Boston, telling the story in the first-person perspective, attempts to uncover the secrets behind a shunned place referred to by the locals of Arkham as the "blasted heath." Unable to garner any information from the townspeople, the protagonist seeks out an old and allegedly crazy man by the name of Ammi Pierce, who relates his personal experiences with a farmer who used to live on the cursed property, Nahum Gardner. Pierce claims that the troubles began when a meteorite crashed into Gardner's lands in June 1882.
The meteorite never cools, but begins shrinking and local scientists cannot discern its origins. As the stone shrinks, it leaves behind globules of colour which are referred to as such only by analogy, as they fall outside the range of anything known in the visible spectrum. These remains eventually disappear but, in the following season, Gardner's crops come in unnaturally large and abundantly. When he discovers that, despite their appearance, they are inedible, he becomes convinced the meteorite has poisoned the soil. Over the following year, the problem spreads to the surrounding vegetation and local animals, altering them in unusual ways. Plant life around the farmhouse becomes "slightly luminous in the dark," and Gardner's wife eventually goes mad, forcing him to lock her up in the attic. During this time, Gardner slowly begins to isolate his family from the rest of the town and Pierce becomes his only contact with the outside world.
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