The Rats in the Walls is a short horror story written by H.P. Lovecraft. Even though this story is only a few pages long, it contains many elements and themes that are worthy of analysis through close reading. One of the key themes of this story is that of hereditary degeneration, where humans are capable of reverting back to primitive evolutionary states. This theme coincides with Sigmund Freud’s ideas of superego (incorporation of values and morals of society), ego (decision-making component, works by reason), and id (primitive, impulsive and unconscious psyche) components of personality. Throughout the story, we watch as the main character attempts to fight his inner unconscious desires, or id, by focusing on his ego and superego. It is when de la Poer gives in to his id that he finally degenerates into a primitive being. Lovecraft successfully makes use of his theme by using the elements of the literary device symbolism and structure to trace the main character’s devolution into a primitive evolutionary state. 

Within the text, there are countless symbols, many of which work to enhance the theme of hereditary degeneration. One of the most important of these are the different animals that Lovecraft implements throughout the narrative.  The rats symbolize a temptation and desire to sin. Not only sinning in a theological sense, but in betraying the motives of the superego and conscious mind, and therefore morality as well. Without even delving into the story, Lovecraft specifically chose this animal because rats conjure negative images of grime, dirt, and disgust. Therefore, he can successfully use an animal that already has an aura of horror around it. 

Throughout the story, the rats serve as a foreboding warning to Delapore, as the town’s people link the rats to the unholy and disgusting horrors of his evil family. It is evident that the rats symbolize moral devolution, as the more that de la Poer fears the rats and the repugnance that they metaphorically symbolize, the more he begins to devolve into them. At the point of the story where he fears the rats most, he eats his dear friend Norrys. He has committed an act of cannibalism and this is his degeneration into a primitive evolutionary state. This is a hereditary degeneration, as can be seen by the countless gnawed upon bone scatterings that his ancestors had an inclination towards cannibalism themselves. For all of de la Poer’s fanciness and morality as a modern, successful man, he is unable to fight the primitive evolutionary state of his ancestors. 

It is interesting to note that Norrys gave de la Poer rat traps when de la Poer first informed Norrys of the rat infestation. These rat traps are symbolic of how it is possible to control our temptations. Norrys offers to help de la Poer focus on his superego and ego, as opposed to allowing the rats to overrun these ideals by bringing de la Poer’s id and temptations of devolution to the forefront. 

Another animal Lovecraft chooses to symbolically implement within the tale are cats. de la Poer has three cats, of which he favors one above the rest. “Nigger-man” is de la Poer’s chief companion throughout the story, as de la Poer follows this cat’s instincts the entire story. At first, de la Poer believes there are rats in the house before even he himself hears or sees them, based solely on the behavior of the cats. It was not the warnings of the town’s people about the rat stories of the past that had any influence on de la Poer’s beliefs, but his cats’ behavior that influenced his conviction. De la Poer follows “Nigger-man” all over the house. And in the end, by following “Nigger-man” into a dark corridor within the depths of a chamber beneath house, he follows the cat to his complete barbaric devolution. The cats symbolize de la Poer’s mind, the part that wants to yield to animalistic impulses and primitive instincts- his id. The cats are constantly preoccupied with the rats and completely conscious of their presence. They are always scratching at doors and the base of the alter to get to the rats. These cats represent the part of de la Poer’s mind that is frantic to escape the confines of his superego and ego to follow the rats, or the temptation of devolution into id. 

Lovecraft applies the element of structure in many different ways throughout the story, particularly when describing Exham Priory. At the beginning of the story, de la Pore chooses a bedroom in the observation tower of the giant house. From here, de la Pore is able to watch over the entire house and know all of the affairs that occur within. At this point in the story, he is particularly aware of his superego and ego, understanding the violence of cannibalism and how it is a disgusting, vile, and despicable act. Subconsciously, as he becomes more aware of the rats, he may be beginning to have inclinations of wanting to eat human flesh. As he follows the cats, symbolic of his temptation for cannibalism, he begins to sleep in his study on the main floor, below his observation tower, and eventually the basement. It is no mere coincidence that Lovecraft structured the locations of where de la Pore sleeps in this way. Lovecraft specifically chose this structuring of the narrative to reflect de la Pore’s descent into his madness and the longings of his id. There is a parallel of structuring between the descent of levels within the house to de la Pore’s descent into madness. 

Another structural element that Lovecraft implements within the story is only having the rats inhabit the original foundation. The rats do not inhabit any of the newer renovations, instead being seen crawling along the old walls, beneath the new wallpapers and curtains throughout the house. Lovecraft’s structural choice in this way further supports the symbolism of the rats. This structural choice displays the battle between the cultured self and the fundamental regression into cannibalism within the family. For generations, the de la Pore’s had an amazing home with great civilized refinements above ground, with a horrific secret of a cannibalistic dungeon worshiping Druidic, simplistic and immoral faiths. In the basement, de la Pore’s conscious mind is telling him not to eat his close companion, Norrys, but his id takes over, asserting evolutionary dominance and regression.  

At the beginning of the story, de la Pore is a respectable and moral man, upholding the values of his superego and ego. But as the story develops, through the implementation of many elements, such as the literary device of symbolism and structure, it is evident that there is a strong id within him, savage and animalistic, that wants to break free of its confines and indulge in primitive behavior.
