Summary
A new horror anthology, **The Night Wire: and Other Tales of Weird Media**, curated by **Aaron Worth**, an associate professor at Boston University's College of General Studies, delves into the historical anxieties surrounding technology through the lens of horror fiction. The collection features **17 stories** published between **1890 and 1955**, showcasing how writers have long used emerging media and devices as fodder for literary dread. Worth argues that the entire Gothic and horror genre is intrinsically linked to new, non-literary media technologies, tracing this lineage back to the **1764 Gothic novel** *The Castle of Otranto* and its connection to the magic lantern.
Key Takeaways
- New horror anthology 'The Night Wire' by BU's Aaron Worth explores technology's historical role in inspiring literary fear.
- The collection features 17 stories from 1890-1955, linking horror to emerging media technologies.
- Worth argues that the Gothic and horror genres are intrinsically tied to technological innovation.
- The anthology includes works by notable authors like Rudyard Kipling and H. P. Lovecraft.
- The project highlights a long-standing human tendency to project anxieties onto new technologies.
Balanced Perspective
Aaron Worth's anthology, **The Night Wire**, presents a curated selection of horror stories from **1890-1955** that specifically address technological anxieties prevalent during those eras. The collection includes works by authors such as **Rudyard Kipling** and **H. P. Lovecraft**, alongside lesser-known contributors. The central thesis posits that horror and Gothic literature are fundamentally tied to the emergence of new media technologies, a connection Worth illustrates with examples ranging from early projection devices to telephones and videotapes. The anthology's introduction elaborates on this thesis, providing historical context for the genre's evolution alongside technological progress.
Optimistic View
This anthology offers a fascinating glimpse into how humanity has consistently projected its anxieties about the unknown onto new technologies, finding a cathartic release in horror. It highlights the enduring power of storytelling to process societal fears, suggesting that by understanding our historical reactions to past innovations, we can better navigate the psychological impacts of current and future technological advancements. The collection serves as a reminder that our relationship with technology has always been complex, a source of both wonder and dread, and this shared experience can foster a sense of collective understanding.
Critical View
While framed as a historical exploration, the anthology's premise that technology has 'long spooked writers and readers' could be interpreted as a subtle warning about our current, perhaps even more profound, technological anxieties. The selection of stories, ending in **1955**, might inadvertently downplay the exponentially increasing pace and pervasiveness of technological change in the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st. This could lead readers to believe that our current fears are merely a continuation of past ones, rather than a qualitatively different, potentially more existential, challenge to human experience.
Source
Originally reported by Boston University