The Thing on the Doorstep

A man's sanity unravels after he marries a woman who claims to be his wife from the past, but whose true nature and identity are sinister and supernatural.

By H.P. Lovecraft · First published 1937 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Weird Fiction · 7 chapters · 11,924 words

First lines

It is true that I have sent six bullets through the head of my best friend, and yet I hope to shew by this statement that I am not his murderer. At first I shall be called a madman-madder than the man I shot in his cell at the Arkham Sanitarium. Later some of my readers will weigh each statement, correlate it with the known facts, and ask themselves how I could have believed otherwise than as I did after facing the evidence of that horror-that thing on the doorstep.

What this Textopian page supports

The Thing on the Doorstep is listed on Textopian as a novel by H.P. Lovecraft, dated 1937 CE.

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

• Work type: Novel
• Author: H.P. Lovecraft
• Date: 1937 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Weird Fiction, Fantasy, Psychological Thriller
• Length: 11,924 words
• Structure: 7 chapters, 101 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Thing on the Doorstep 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
• 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 The Thing on the Doorstep?
• How does this novel by H.P. Lovecraft fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Horror first become important in the reading?

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Genres

• Horror — The narrative explores themes of madness, the supernatural, and existential dread, characteristic of horror literature.
• Gothic Fiction — The setting features decaying mansions, dark secrets, and a sense of foreboding, typical of Gothic elements.
• Weird Fiction — The story incorporates bizarre and otherworldly elements, blurring the lines between reality and the supernatural.
• Fantasy — The presence of magical lore, alternate realities, and otherworldly beings aligns with fantasy themes.

Tags

Horror · Supernatural Fiction · Psychological Thriller · Gothic Fiction · Cthulhu Mythos · Short Story · Paranormal Activity · Mystery · Suspense · Dark Fantasy · Weird Fiction · Cosmic Horror

Contents

• CHAPTER I
• CHAPTER II
• CHAPTER III
• CHAPTER IV
• CHAPTER V
• CHAPTER VI
• CHAPTER VII

More by H.P. Lovecraft

• El alquimista (1916)
• The Shunned House (1928)
• The Dunwich Horror (1929)
• The Colour out of Space (1927)
• The Call of Cthulhu (1928)
• He (1925)
• The Festival (1925)
• The Silver Key (1929)
• All works by H.P. Lovecraft