Title: Eldritch Brown Houses

Author: Claire Humphrey

Date of First Publication: 2015

Place of Publication: Daughter of Frankenstein: Lesbian Mad Scientists

Type: Short story

Characters: No Character

Themes: QUEER FRANKENSTEIN; WOMEN WRITING MONSTERS

Critical Summary: While at work, Paige is strangely intrigued by a random encounter she has with a previous classmate from high school. Her name is Maya Wu, and she discloses that after reading Lovecraft in high school, she began to see weird meaning in architecture but attributes this to her struggling relationship of being bipolar. Maya is on her medications and believes Paige has something about her that will help Maya capture magic on camera, the reason for her visit at Paige’s work place. After spending some time together, Maya develops her pictures of Paige and finds the magic she’s been trying to capture on camera.

Humphrey does what some fictional writers do and instead of hinting about queerness, there is an explicit kiss between the two main characters of the story. It takes from Frankenstein itself because there is a parallel between the creation and feelings of being a misfit or an outcast in heteronormative society to growing up with consciousness of queerness. The way the creation was treated and condemned by others are feelings that some people who grew up queer will sometimes feel. Humphrey’s interpretation of Maya as someone who seeks answers for those who have dismissed her as crazy for her bipolar disorder is met with validity by an old friend who eventually becomes her romantic interest. Maya sees magic in Paige and Paige sees validity to Maya’s claim, and through this understanding and empathetic lens, the story then separates itself from the original. The original provides lessons about attempts of empathy while Humphrey’s story is empathy in action, which leads to the kiss between Maya and Paige.

Administrative Notes: Sabino Reyes, CSUF; Dr. David Sandner, CSUF (editing)