Evolution and devolution are two main concepts of society, as society is always either progressing or regressing. Evolution, the act of progress, is shaped by humanities desire to improve its quality of living as a result of exploration. Devolution, the act of regress, is usually shaped by mankind’s failure to uphold the evolved way of life. Often, devolution is concurrent with destruction; meaning, society devolves- especially rather quickly- because of some form destruction. While most pieces of literature embrace the more positive concept of evolution, H.P. Lovecraft’s works tend to highlight the other aspect of life. Particularly, in Lovecraft’s “Rats in the Walls,” the concept of devolution is portrayed through the use of rats. In this essay, my aim is to guide you through this metaphor of rats within the story. To begin this guiding process, it will be important to first introduce the author and discuss his influence in the book. Then, a brief overview of the book along with an analysis of the role of rats within it will be discussed. From here, the role of the rats as a metaphor will be discussed in greater detail. 

To begin, to better understand the piece of literature, the reader must understand the mastermind behind the text. Though he is an author of intellectual pieces of literature, many modern critics have labeled H.P. Lovecraft as a racist who includes racist insinuations in his work. But more important to note is that while many criticize him for his racism, Lovecraft’s disgust for humanity does not stop at one particular race. H.P. Lovecraft goes on to have an utmost disdain for the human race itself. Under the influence of his heavily revulsive mindset, Lovecraft orchestrates work of literature that emphasize human degeneration and, as a result, human destruction. Since most readers have experienced a feeling of disdain towards society at least once, Lovecraft’s work is, in a way, relatable. Like Lovecraft, readers have believed, at least once, that humans must be heading towards some form of destruction. This is especially true in today’s world where increasing news coverage presents images of destruction to individuals every day. Exposure to such graphic images and information is opening up new wounds within people- both individually and collectively. As a result of all readers believing humans are heading towards some form of destruction, Lovecraft’s literature speaks to everyone. Laura Miller from Salon put in best by saying Lovecraft’s work, “speaks to a gnarled, doomy, and phobic corner of human nature that all of us visit from time to time.” Through this catharsis element within “Rats in the Walls,” readers can expect to release the revulsive, bottled-up emotions that they are seemingly fed by media every day. 

Now that Lovecraft has been introduced, it is important to see how his revulsive tendencies of destruction are displayed in “Rats in the Walls.” Within this piece of literature, Lovecraft divides the concept of devolution into three stages – questioning, exploration, and destruction. Using a strong-minded and independent character, Lovecraft begins to shape the revulsive idea of human destruction. By first establishing Mr. Delapore’s character, readers are given a chance to place themselves within the book. By doing this, Lovecraft captures readers and forces them to experience the devolution seemingly first hand. Instead of giving the narrator an omniscient role, Lovecraft creates rats to be the master-mind behind Delapore’s operations. As a result, readers who are relating to Mr. Delapore also become influenced by the rats. It is only under this influence that Mr. Delapore is truly able to function. 

Throughout this short story, the rats are depicted as creatures of cunningness and exploration. First, the rats are giving a cunning characteristic through their ability to not only hide, but also their ability to escape the strategically placed traps. Next, the rats are depicted as creatures of exploration through the fact of how they guide Delapore around his home and into the deepest depths of human society. By establishing the rats as a metaphor for Delapore’s brain as explained later, Lovecraft develops the concept that cunningness and exploration lead to destruction. Or, in simpler terms, evolution is ironically the cause of devolution. 

As previously mentioned, the rats are nothing more than a metaphor for Mr. Delapore’s thoughts. To establish this concept, Lovecraft first mentions the presence of rats on page 88, describing how “no trace remained of what had been caught.” Considering multiple traps were set to catch the mice, it is no coincidence that all could have escaped. Through this, Lovecraft plainly describes to the reader that the rats do not truly exist as physical beings. By placing non-existent rats within a physically existing home, Lovecraft builds upon the idea that there must be a source for the rats. To first establish this, readers are given to perceptions. The first is the perceptions of the home’s staff members who are unaware of the presence of rodents. The second is that of Mr. Delapore- the only man who is able to hear the creatures. Such contrasting positions give readers a chance to understand the rats are not psychical beings. As a confirmation, Mr. Delapore “mentioned that there had been no rats there for three hundred years” (Lovecraft 80). Lovecraft sets up the scene that physical rats could not possibly exist within Exham Priory. Consequently, readers know it could not be rats within the walls causing the commotion for Mr. Delapore at night.  

After establishing the fact the rats are immortal, H.P. Lovecraft leads the reader into their first personal encounter with the ghostly creatures. Late into the night, Delapore hears a “distinct scurrying as of rats or mice” within the walls of Exham Priory (81). It is important to note this first true encounter is when Delapore is still in the questioning stage of the story. The rats introduce themselves to this man alone, the only man in the story with a desire to uncover history and to explore. Through such an encounter, readers can establish the rats as a metaphor for Delapore’s desire to explore. This is a mental state in which rats, creatures of cunningness, are a personified version of a man’s desire to question. 

After establishing the rats as a physical manifestation of a man’s desire to question, Lovecraft leads the reader into the next stage of devolution- the stage of exploration. Believing the rats exist, Delapore is “genuinely perplexed at the presence of rats,” intrigued by where they are and where they possibly could be going (81). This drive, the drive for exploration is what leads him to the deepest depths of his family history. But, the rats do not stop as simply representing the drive for exploration. Instead, they literally guide Delapore throughout his home. Physically guided by a non-existent entity, Delapore begins digging deeper into his home, finding new unground chambers and taboo writings. But it’s not as if the rats play a passive role in guiding him. Instead, they actively guide him, constantly driving him deeper. This represents how human nature’s drive for exploration is continuous and never ceasing. At this point, important to note is Delapore’s shift in his description of the rats within the walls. No longer does he simply describe them as rats, possibly field mice. Instead, on page 81, he clarifies them as being “ravenous, gigantic rats.” By making this clarification we see the rats as being big, hungry monsters. Such is to say that exploration itself is a ravenous monster. For as far back as mankind can remember, there has always been a push to explore. Never satisfied with the results society already has, there is an extreme hunger to explore more- to travel to space and to witness the depths of the ocean. By establishing the rats as hungry beasts and relating in to society’s never ceasing urge to explore, Lovecraft sets the reader up for the next and final stage of devolution- destruction.

After guiding the reader through the exploration stage, Lovecraft finally comes to make his point- exploration leads to destruction. Having followed the rats into an ancient, secret vault, Delapore sees the result of human exploration- human “bones [that] were gnawed, mostly by rats” (87). Immediately after the exploration phase, Lovecraft takes the reader into the destruction phase. This quick transition hints to the reader that there may not be a lot of time between progress and regress. Delapore then takes a turn for the worst and experiences his own personal destruction as well. After losing his friends and his sanity, he locked away into a mental hospital where he still hears rats running rampant. Lovecraft uses Delapore to show that destruction happens only to those who individually seek to explore. Had Delapore never began with the question of what happened in history, he would have never been led to destruction.  

Rats, animals of cunningness and exploration are used in Lovecraft’s “Rats in the Walls” to demonstrate how advances in society lead to the destruction of society. Guiding Delapore through questioning, exploration, and devolution, the rats represent a state of mind- one which all humans possess. This concept is further encompassed by the readers’ ability to relate to Mr. Delapore. With an innate drive of curiosity, individuals and society seek to evolve. However, this drive to explore, to uncover new secrets are, as Lovecraft desires to show the reader, exactly what leads to the destruction of mankind. 
