The Rats in the Walls
A group of people inherits an old mansion from a distant relative. They discover that the house has been renovated with strange architectural features and that there are rats in the walls. As they explore the house, they uncover evidence of dark rituals and human sacrifices that took place there centuries ago. The protagonist experiences strange visions and eventually discovers that he is not who he thinks he is, but rather a descendant of an ancient cult that worshipped a malevolent deity.
By H.P. Lovecraft · First published 1924 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Weird Fiction · 8,744 words
First lines
On July 16, 1923, I moved into Exham Priory after the last workman had finished his labours. The restoration had been a stupendous task, for little had remained of the deserted pile but a shell-like ruin; yet because it had been the seat of my ancestors I let no expense deter me. The place had not been inhabited since the reign of James the First, when a tragedy of intensely hideous, though largely unexplained, nature had struck down the master, five of his children, and several servants; and driven forth under a cloud of suspicion and terror the third son, my lineal progenitor and the only survivor of the abhorred line. With this sole heir denounced as a murderer, the estate had reverted to the crown, nor had the accused man made any attempt to exculpate himself or regain his property. Shaken by some horror greater than that of conscience or the law, and expressing only a frantic wish to exclude the ancient edifice from his sight and memory, Walter de la Poer, eleventh Baron Exham, fled to Virginia and there founded the family which by the next century had become known as Delapore.
What this Textopian page supports
The Rats in the Walls is listed on Textopian as a short story by H.P. Lovecraft, dated 1924 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: H.P. Lovecraft
- Date: 1924 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Weird Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Mystery
- Length: 8,744 words
- Structure: 1 section, 54 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Rats in the Walls by H.P. Lovecraft
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Rats in the Walls?
- How does this short story by H.P. Lovecraft fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Horror — The narrative is steeped in themes of fear, the supernatural, and psychological terror, creating an atmosphere of dread and suspense.
- Gothic Fiction — The setting features a decaying ancestral home, dark family secrets, and elements of the macabre, characteristic of Gothic literature.
- Weird Fiction — The story incorporates bizarre and otherworldly elements, blending horror with the uncanny and the unknown.
- Supernatural Fiction — The presence of supernatural occurrences, such as the rats and the ancestral curse, drives the plot and themes.
Tags
Horror · Gothic Fiction · Supernatural · Cthulhu Mythos · Short Story · Atmosphere of Dread · Psychological Horror · Mystery · Occultism · Ancient Civilizations · Forbidden Knowledge · Sanity-Blasting Terror