Sunday, June 05, 2011

The Yellow Sign by Robert W. Chambers

This story has me thinking and wondering. It starts out as one thing, and then turns into something else.

What I liked:

*The creepy guy that made everyone think of something dead or like a gross worm or something. It made me laugh, but also made me shiver.
*The narrator's sweet relationship with his artist model. How it meant more to him than could admit, because he felt he was not a good man, and because of his lost true love.
*The imagery of the story, fulled with symbolism that I will ponder and will cause me to reread this story again soon.
*The ambiguity of the implicit threat of the night watchman.
*So many unanswered questions. How does it all tie together???
*The romanticism throughout this story. Not just in a love story way. But in the use of language.
*The clear, infectious writing style that has a biting edge of humor that is still fresh after so many years.
*The narrator, who is both a deep romantic, and a true cynic.

I'm scratching my head over this one, and mourning the quick, although effective ending. And Chambers was considered a hack, pulp writer in his time? That's sad to me. Glad I have finally read this story!

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