Pickman’s Model: An Odd Creepy Puzzle That May Entertain Or Disappoint

Pickman’s Model by HP Lovecraft

Overall Rating: An Odd Creepy Puzzle That May Entertain Or Disappoint.

Okay this is a short story by HP Lovecraft. Well overall I don’t think HP Lovecraft wrote anything but short stories. But all the same, this is a tale called Pickman’s Model. And if you have not heard of this author, then I dare you to look up some films that are based off of or influenced by Lovecraftean horror such as Re-animator, Dagon, From Beyond and my personal favorite, In The Mouth Of Madness.

The story starts off with a nameless character telling a story to a friend about a man he knew as Richard Upton Pickman. He was a man who had a creative talent, realistic painting techniques but unfortunately paints paintings of terrifying and morbid images. But while he is constantly rejected, Therber (later on the main character is given a name) is fascinated. Though Picket is considered a monster, evil or cruel, he can not help but be amazed but the realism of it all. Then one day, Pickman says there’s an old house that he goes to where the darkest of images come to him. They are the most realistic and modern pieces he done. Of course being Picket’s one and only fan, Thurber agrees and follows Picket into his dark world of demonic paintings and underground tunnels. And as he stops into this world, Thruber feels these painting a re just something beyond what could be possibly from someone’s imagination.

So the good? Well there’s the detail. Every painting, alleyway and even we can see in our own head. And we can feel Thurber emotional, what is going through his head through all of this. Also, its quick paced. There’s no mile long build up. We’re in the middle of it and we can see what is happening. It’s creep.

The bad? I felt that the climax was kind of weak. And I’m shutting up there. I don’t want to spoil anything. That and just fact this is written back in the 1920’s which means more attention to wording than ever.

Then in the middle of good and bad (I know I typically don’t do this but bear with me) is the ending. The ending is not bad. It’s very open ended and in actuality I feel that it didn’t answer questions but left a lot of close to what the real meaning behind the paintings may be. And I know there’s a large percentage of people who will say “That’s stupid” or “It didn’t make any sense” and not like the piece. But I’m not one of those people. After reading this, I’m still thinking of what everything meant and piecing it together in my head and finding deeper meaning to it. This piece is asking the author to think. It does so the same way films like Inception or Donnie Darko for. They give you the puzzle to solve and you only save it you put one effort into it than reading it alone. If you like mind games, then you know who you are, and the rest of you know you won’t catch it.

Overall it’s a simple yet creepy piece. I say it’s worth the read, but in the climax, I felt it failed a bit since it seemed to building up to something bug, So I can’t love it. But I do like the idea that it is asking me to piece things together. And late rather thinking about it more. My rating might change. But as of right now anything is average two smoothies out of four.

2 Smoothies out of four

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