The Red Room (Wells)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Red Room" is a short story written by H. G. Wells in 1894. The story deals with the internal human conflict between rationality and the irrational fear of the unknown.
[edit] Plot summary
The story centers around an unnamed protagonist who chooses to spend the night in the remote Lorraine Castle. The narrator will rest in a room said to be haunted; in an effort to disprove the various legends surrounding it. Despite ominous warnings from the three infirm custodians who reside there, he ascends to the "Red Room" to begin his night's rest.
While in the room, he is gripped by an inexplicable feeling of dread. As he tries to combat his fear, a series of events drive him into an outright panic. He begins to thrash at perceived phantoms until he hits his head and falls unconscious.
The next morning, he is awoken with several injuries, by the three occupants of the castle. When they attempt to relate local myths to explain the haunting, the narrator responds that what haunts the room is fear itself.
[edit] References in popular culture
The story's basic premise—a man names Peter decides to spend one night in a haunted location—has been imitated countless times in popular fiction. The most recent example is the Stephen King story "1408" from the audio collection Blood and Smoke.
[edit] External links
- "The Red Room" online text
- "The Red Room" Creative Commons Audio Book
