Lovecraft Country

Published August 20, 2020 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey guys,

great job on the deep dive podcast. Listened to it last night and enjoyed it very much. Had a couple of thoughts based on the email and discussion of the diner scene.

First, worth pointing out that the core of the scene is straight from the book. Sure they changed some details for tv, but the crux of it is in the novel. I know you’re not getting hung up on that for the podcast, but figured it was worth noting the show runners didn’t just conjure it out of whole cloth.

Here’s how I see the scene. Like all of us in life, all the characters are flawed. Arguably one of George’s is pride or hubris – at least when it comes to the Safe Travel Guide. That’s HIS baby. Understandable. Pride of creation. But in this case he lets that overwhelm his common sense. The diner must be safe because the guide says it is (or was). Atticus on the other hand knows right from the start when he looks at the map that this is a bad idea, but goes along mostly in deference to his uncle. His initial worry is reinforced when he sees the hostile crew at the fire station and when the diner has been renamed. He’s seeing the world as it is, Uncle George seeing it as he wants it to be or as the guide says it was. Ultimately I think the scene is a reminder that as valuable as the safe travel guide would have been, it’s still just a tool to keep a black traveler safe, not a guarantee of that safety. Or perhaps in a broader Lovecraftian sense, don’t ignore what your senses tell you because of what you “know”.

Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. Keep up the good work.

Best, Michael (aka Internet Hippo on Twitch)

P.S. Gene, enjoyed hearing you were from the Chandler area. My dad lived in Chandler for like 15 years before moving to Gilbert after getting remarried. So although a lifelong East Coaster, I know your part of the Valley pretty well.

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