Cthulhu Waits Dreaming: A Jungian Exploration of Dreams and the Unconscious in the Works of H.P. Lovecraft

Abstract

In this thesis I use Carl Jung’s analytical psychology to examine three stories by H.P. Lovecraft. In my discussion of The Call of Cthulhu, I suggest that the figure of Cthulhu be read as a symbol of the objective shadow. I also discuss the way the story portrays the relationship between dreams and creativity in light of Jung’s theories of the mind. In my discussion of The Shadow Over Innsmouth, I discuss the symbols of the unknown and the unconscious found in the text, and suggest reading the conclusion of the story as a symbol of the attainment of psychic wholeness through the process of individuation. I also engage critically with the racist elements found in both of these stories. Finally I discuss The Shadow Out of Time, focusing on how the last part of the story can be read as a subverted form of the heroic journey, and as a symbol for a journey into the mind.