What are the main themes in H.P. Lovecraft's 'Dunwich Horror' story?
The main themes include the intrusion of the supernatural into the normal world. In the 'Dunwich Horror' story, we see how the monstrous entities from another dimension start to interact with the rural setting of Dunwich, disrupting the lives of the locals. Madness is also a theme. As the characters face the terrors of the story, they gradually lose their sanity. For example, the people who witness the strange events start to act erratically. And there's the theme of the fragility of human existence. The actions of the inhuman creatures in the story can easily destroy the lives and the very fabric of the human community in Dunwich.
Cosmic indifference is a key theme. The entities in 'Dunwich Horror' seem to have no regard for human life or values. They exist on a different plane and their actions, like the events that unfold in Dunwich, are just a by - product of their existence. Another main theme is the power of the arcane. The story shows how the use of dark magic and the pursuit of the unknown in the realm of the occult can have dire consequences. And family heritage plays a role too. The bloodline in Dunwich that is related to the otherworldly beings is an important part of the horror as it ties the human world to the world of the eldritch in a very disturbing way.