AFTERWORDTOFIREWORKS

    IstartedtowriteshortpieceswhenIwaslivinginaroomtoosmalmakingabstrasfromthem,Iwaswriting,therefore,tales.

    ThoughittookmealongtimetorealisewhyIlikedthem,IdalwaysbeenfondofPoe,andHoffman--Gothictales,crueltales,talesofwoalesofterror,fabulousnarrativesthatdealdirectlywiththeimageryoftheunscious--mirrors;theexternalisedself;forsakencastles;hauntedforests;forbiddensexualobjects.Formallythetalediffersfromtheshortstoryinthatitmakesfewpreteheimitationoflife.Thetaledoesnotlogeverydayexperieheshortstorydoes;itinterpretseverydayexperiehroughasystemofimageryderivedfromsubterraneanareasbehindeverydayexperiendthereforethetaleotbetrayitsreadersintoafalseknowledgeofeverydayexperience.

    TheGothictraditioninwhichPoewritesgrandlyighevaluesystemsofourinstitutions;itdealsentirelywiththeprofasgreatthemesareiandibalism.Characterasareexaggeratedbeyoy,tobeesymbols,ideas,passions.Itsstylewilltendtobeornate,unnatural--andthusoperateagainsttheperennialhumandesiretobelievethewordasfact.Itsonlyhumourisblackhumour.Itretainsasingularmoralfun--thatofprovokingunease.

    Thetalehasrelationswithsubliteraryformsraphy,balladanddream,andithasnotbeewithkindlybyliterati.Andisitanywonder?Letuskeeptheunsciousinasuitcase,asPereUbudidwithhissdflushitdownthelavatorywheootroublesome.

    SoIworkedontales.IwaslivinginJapan;IcamebacktoEnglandin1972.Ifoundmyselfinanewtry.Itwaslikewakingup,itwasarudeawakening.WeliveinGothictimes.Now,touandandtointerpretisthem