Fantasy | Lecturia

Oscar Wilde: The Star-Child

The Star-Child is a fantastic tale by Oscar Wilde published in 1891 in the collection A House of Pomegranates. During a harsh winter, two woodcutters find a child abandoned in the forest, wrapped in a golden cloak and wearing an amber chain. Although one wants to leave him there, the other decides to take him home, where the boy grows into a young man of unusual beauty. However, his appearance does not reflect his character: the Star-child is vain and cruel; he despises others and harshly treats the poor and afflicted. The Star-Child’s arrogance and selfishness soon lead him to face harsh consequences.

Ray Bradbury: The Man Upstairs

The Man Upstairs is a haunting short story by Ray Bradbury, published in March 1947 in Harper’s Magazine. The story follows Douglas, a curious boy who lives with his grandmother, a woman skilled in the kitchen whose culinary rituals fascinate him. One day, a stranger named Mr. Koberman arrives at the boarding house to rent a room upstairs. From the moment he arrives, the atmosphere in the home becomes uneasy and mysterious. Intrigued by the new tenant’s behavior, Douglas begins to suspect something very unusual about him, which defies all logic.

Edgar Allan Poe: The black cat

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” is a tale of psychological horror that tells the story of a man who, despite being an animal lover and leading a quiet life, undergoes a drastic change in his behavior due to his growing addiction to alcohol. This change leads him to commit acts of cruelty, particularly against his favorite cat, Pluto. As his character deteriorates, he becomes entangled in disturbing and supernatural events that reflect his internal struggle and progressive loss of humanity. The story, told from the protagonist’s perspective, delves into themes of guilt, madness, and the consequences of acts driven by perversity. With an intensely bleak atmosphere and an increasingly disturbing tone, this tale is an outstanding example of Poe’s ability to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche.

Ray Bradbury: Time Intervening

In Ray Bradbury’s “Time Intervining,” an old man leaves his house in the early morning and finds some children playing in his garden. Although he tries to talk to them, he gets no response. When he returns home, he sits in the dark, restless. Suddenly, a young man and a girl enter, surprised to see him, and chase him away, claiming that this is their home. The old man, perplexed and with unheeded protests, ends up in the street. During the night, he watches in bewilderment as several people enter and leave his home, seemingly paying no attention to him.

W. W. Jacobs: The Monkey’s Paw

“The Monkey’s Paw,” a short story by W. W. Jacobs, is a classic tale of horror and fantasy. It is notable for its tense atmosphere and reflection on the implications of altering destiny. The story revolves around the White family, who receive a mysterious magic talisman as a gift, with the ability to grant three wishes. Despite their skepticism, they decide to use the amulet, which leads to a series of catastrophic events.

Rudyard Kipling: The Mark of the Beast

“The Mark of the Beast,” a short story by Rudyard Kipling published in 1890, plunges into the depths of mysticism and cultural tensions in colonial India. The story recounts the experience of Fleete, an Englishman newly arrived in India, who, while under the influence of alcohol during a New Year’s Eve celebration, desecrates a temple of Hanuman, the monkey god. His disrespectful and mocking action towards the sacred provokes supernatural revenge when he is branded on the chest by a mysterious leper known as the Silver Man. As the mark on Fleete’s chest transforms, he changes alarmingly, displaying animalistic behaviors and appetites. His friends are then embroiled in a desperate attempt to understand and remedy his condition, facing the clash between Western rationality and the inexplicable forces of an ancient local faith.