"Dreams in the Witch House" is a horror short story written by H.P. Lovecraft. It was first published in 1932 and is considered one of Lovecraft's most renowned tales. The story follows Walter Gilman, a student of mathematics and folklore, as he rents a room in a boarding house that has a sinister reputation. Gilman's room is in the Witch House, a house in Arkham that is rumored to be haunted.
“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes
Just recently while my wife and I were in one room we heard our girl singing new songs and saying new words in the other room and then we realized, since she has been going to the Magic of Learning, she has been coming home with all sorts of new words and songs that we didnt know she could do. It also helps children to see adults, who in spite of their differences, are thoughtful about them and hear their needs, even when they lack the capacity to implement effective changes in the classroom.
Gilman's room is in the Witch House, a house in Arkham that is rumored to be haunted. The house is said to have been the dwelling of a witch named Keziah Mason, who disappeared mysteriously. As Gilman delves deeper into his studies, he becomes obsessed with the theories of non-Euclidean geometry and the connections between mathematics and occultism.
The Magic of Learning
As a parent, I distinctly remember the joy disappear from my child as she struggled with learning sight words in Prep. In her class, the children’s names were hung around the room and their names moved between sight word lists as they progressed. Watching names move across the word lists, she quickly realised that she wasn’t progressing as well as her peers. While I could see the classroom teaching intent was to help children feel success and pride, this strategy knocked my child’s confidence and her perception of what made a ‘successful learner’. With my developmental experience, I also knew that something was contributing to her difficulty. Even though we offered her extra support and care, this particular literacy skill was becoming a struggle. Fortunately, a wonderful teacher took our concerns seriously, noticed our child’s struggle and provided clear and helpful guidance.
There are lots of us who find it challenging to clarify concerns, especially when we have to do this within established organisations. It can be further complicated when it involves our children, their developmental complexity, or when we find it difficult to articulate our concerns.
The challenges of the system
Please know that I share the following thoughts with the caveat that there are wonderful teachers who have the capacity to activate their student’s curiosity, managing the layers of individual student complexity, while seamlessly introducing curriculum and core content to their students.
However, I have often wondered if the ‘magic of learning and teaching’ is sometimes being lost as we shift our attention to outcomes and academic excellence. Or, are we losing sight of academic rigour as we ask schools to manage student’s emotional well-being along with the many other roles they play? These are serious questions with no clear answers.
We know that the complexity in curriculum delivery does put pressure on the ‘process’ aspects of learning and on student’s emotional well-being. I imagine that it must be difficult to engage student’s curiosity and the metacognitive processes of their thinking; help them to develop skills to manage social-emotional challenges; or foster their critical analysis and reflection; as you deliver dense curriculum content. This is complicated by the number of students with learning differences, developmental challenges, and emotional struggles.
Achievement is also multifaceted. For some students, achievement is functionally linked to managing the sensory challenging classroom environment, being able to get to the school gate or managing the anxiety created by their learning and social challenges. For others, it may be about their progress in grades to show their persistence in a subject area.
I think we all know that it can be easy to lose perspective about what matters to students amongst these system challenges. Interestingly, when students feel safe and nurtured, like they belong, they demonstrate greater capacity to learn. More importantly, when teachers notice small things about their preferences in learning, it matters.
How do we listen to students?
There is magic that is offered in childhood when we stop, slow down and notice children’s engagement in play and learning.
Recently, I had a conversation with a very experienced teacher about how best to support a young child in their class. As we spoke, I felt that at some level there was a hesitancy to explore this child’s experience of learning. It felt like there was fear of blame in what was already a tenuous situation. As I spoke with the teacher, I felt a need to say:
“Yes, in time this child will learn new ways to manage their feelings. And, he and you are working really hard. You are helping to think about his experience, even when things appear to be falling apart. You are using yourself to show him how much he matters in this classroom. Let’s think about some simple and easy things we can do to help make this easier for you both.”
In this moment, as we gave voice to this child and his teacher’s experience, it felt like there was a chance to create hope for him, and about him with his teacher. When we notice and wonder about what drives a student’s experience, we can learn so much about them as individuals. In a technical therapeutic sense, noticing involves paying attention to what might be unsaid. A student who calls out and distracts the class might be saying:
“I’m struggling with understanding this, so I will hide my shame by calling out.”
“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” -Alexander Den Heijer
As parents and teachers, we can speak for children, and must do so with grace, kindness and compassion. It may mean that we advocate for minor changes at the classroom level. Sometimes, it may also mean letting go of our expectations and re-defining how we see excellence and success. As we do this, we also need to acknowledge the efforts of wonderful educators who do slow things down and notice potential in students.
When things do go wrong, as can happen, adults need to have difficult conversations to address concerns, hurt and disappointment, and then find a way to trust that things will settle. This is hard work for any adult, especially with our own histories and experiences of learning and in life. From the perspective of our child, it can help to see adults safely repairing relationships. It also helps children to see adults, who in spite of their differences, are thoughtful about them and hear their needs, even when they lack the capacity to implement effective changes in the classroom.
Final thoughts for parents
I know how difficult it can be to advocate for your child in a complex system that is not easily understood. I would encourage you to share your knowledge of your child with grace, to share the unsaid struggle when they cannot do so, and to listen and clarify information shared by educators with kindness. Perhaps, if we work together in this, we can create that magic and joy that learning brings for children again.
About Catherine
Catherine Daly is an Occupational Therapist and Psychotherapist working with children and families struggling with emotional, behavioural, developmental and mental health difficulties.
As he spends more time in the house, Gilman begins to experience strange dreams and unsettling occurrences. In his dreams, he is transported to a different dimension where he encounters bizarre entities, including the witch Keziah Mason and her familiar, a rat-like creature named Brown Jenkin. These dreams blur the line between imagination and reality, leaving Gilman unsure of what is truly happening. Through his dreams, Gilman learns about the witch's rituals and her connections to otherworldly beings. He discovers that she made a pact with the creatures from beyond, allowing her to travel between dimensions and gain forbidden knowledge. These revelations lead Gilman to realize that he too is being drawn into the witch's dark web. The climax of the story occurs when Gilman's room is invaded by the evil forces from his dreams. He witnesses unspeakable horrors and feels the chaotic presence of the entities around him. In a last-ditch effort to escape, Gilman destroys the Witch House, bringing an end to the ancient evil that resided within. "Dreams in the Witch House" explores Lovecraft's fascination with cosmic horror and the idea that there are ancient beings that exist beyond human comprehension. It showcases his mastery of creating a sense of dread and the blurring of reality and dreams. The story also touches upon Lovecraft's fear of the unknown and the dark forces that lurk just beyond the veil of our reality. Overall, "Dreams in the Witch House" is a haunting tale that delves into the depths of the human psyche and the boundaries of human knowledge. It exemplifies Lovecraft's unique brand of horror and has become a beloved addition to his Mythos..
Reviews for "The Mindbending Nature of Dreams: A Psychological Analysis of Lovecraft's Witch House"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I really didn't enjoy "Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft. The story was extremely confusing and hard to follow. The writing style was unnecessarily complicated and filled with archaic language that made it difficult to understand what was happening. Additionally, the characters were unrelatable and lacked depth, making it hard to care about their experiences or what happened to them. Overall, I found this story to be a frustrating and unsatisfying read.
2. Mike - 2 stars
"Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft was a disappointment for me. While the concept of a witch's house and dreams merging together sounded intriguing, the execution fell flat. The pacing was slow, and the story took too long to build up any sense of tension or suspense. The horror elements felt cliched and predictable, lacking any real originality. I found myself losing interest and struggling to stay engaged throughout the story. Overall, it was a mediocre read that didn't live up to my expectations.
3. Lisa - 2 stars
I was not a fan of "Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft. The storytelling felt disjointed and lacked coherence. The transitions between different scenes and perspectives were abrupt and confusing, making it hard to keep track of what was happening. The ending also felt rushed and left me with a feeling of dissatisfaction. While I appreciate Lovecraft's contributions to the horror genre, this particular story didn't resonate with me. I wouldn't recommend it to those looking for a compelling and well-structured narrative.
4. John - 1 star
I struggled to find any enjoyment in "Dreams in the Witch House" by H.P. Lovecraft. The writing style was incredibly dense and verbose, making it a chore to read. The excessive use of descriptive language detracted from the plot and hindered the story's progression. I also found the characters to be uninteresting and lacking development, which made it difficult to invest in their experiences. Overall, this story was a tedious and frustrating experience that I wouldn't recommend to others.