"All the Sounds of Fear" by Harlan Ellison: An Appreciation by CJ Hurtt

Ellison's "All The Sounds of Fear" reads not so much as a short story, but rather as a type of sermon. This shotgun blast of words and passion is aimed straight at the reader. This is Ellison doing what he does best; calling it as he sees it.

While not the strongest piece In Harlan Ellison's body of work, this story is definitely one of the most raw and terrifying. We are shown a mirror of humanity in protagonist Richard Becker. We get a peek at the life of someone who absorbs the world's madness and shows it to us, all while the audience applauds. His destruction is the result of life imitating art imitating life. He is a reflection of us at our worst and he dies without redemption, an Oedipus screaming for some light.

Link to story.