Caterpillars by E.F. Benson (1922)

Name: Caterpillars
Author: E.F. Benson

The narrative unfolds in a once-beautiful villa on the Italian Riviera, now rumored to be haunted. The protagonist, visiting the villa, experiences an unsettling premonition upon arrival, feeling an inexplicable wrongness in the atmosphere. Despite the villa's charm, the protagonist's unease grows, particularly after a vivid dream involving grotesque caterpillars that seem to invade an unoccupied bedroom. During a dinner conversation, the topic of ghosts arises, and one of the guests, an artist named Arthur Inglis, dismisses the notion of the supernatural. The protagonist, however, is haunted by the dream of the caterpillars, which he later discovers in a pillbox brought by Inglis. The caterpillar resembles those from his dream, prompting a visceral reaction that leads him to discard it into a fountain. As the days progress, the protagonist's anxiety intensifies, especially as a Sirocco wind stirs an ominous feeling. One night, he awakens with a sense of urgency, only to find the villa's landing swarming with the very caterpillars he had dreamt of. They begin to invade Inglis' room, and despite his desperate attempts to warn Inglis, he is paralyzed by fear and unable to make a sound. The next morning, the protagonist learns from Mrs. Stanley that Inglis has been diagnosed with cancer, a revelation that connects back to the unoccupied bedroom where a fatal case of cancer had occurred a year prior. The protagonist grapples with the implications of his experience, haunted by the intertwining of the supernatural and the tragic reality of disease, leaving him to ponder the nature of his visions and their connection to the fate of Inglis. The story culminates in a chilling exploration of fear, the unknown, and the potential consequences of past tragedies lingering in the present.

By E.F. Benson · First published 1922 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Supernatural Fiction · 4,040 words

First lines

I saw a month or two ago in an Italian paper that the Villa Cascana, in which I once stayed, had been pulled down, and that a manufactory of some sort was in process of erection on its site. There is therefore no longer any reason for refraining from writing of those things which I myself saw (or imagined I saw) in a certain room and on a certain landing of the villa in question, nor from mentioning the circumstances which followed, which may or may not (according to the opinion of the reader) throw some light on or be somehow connected with this experience.

What this Textopian page supports

Caterpillars is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.F. Benson, dated 1922 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: E.F. Benson
Date: 1922 CE
Language: English
Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Literary Fiction
Length: 4,040 words
Structure: 1 section, 45 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Caterpillars by E.F. Benson
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Caterpillars?
How does this short story by E.F. Benson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Horror first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Horror — The story revolves around a terrifying experience involving supernatural elements and a sense of dread, particularly through the imagery of the caterpillars.
Gothic Fiction — The setting in a haunted villa, themes of isolation, and the exploration of fear align with Gothic conventions.
Supernatural Fiction — The narrative includes elements of the supernatural, particularly the haunting presence of the caterpillars and their connection to illness.
Psychological Thriller — The protagonist's mental state and the blurring of reality and nightmare create a psychological tension throughout the story.