Many people enjoy a good book or film that sends a shiver down your spine and makes you question reality. This may seem crazy to others, who do not see a single reason why you would stay up watching a film that will make you unable to sleep for days, but to others it is a hobby. The question is, what is horror really, and what makes it so good? Per definition, a horror story would be a work of fiction with the intention and purpose of giving the reader a negative feeling, such as fear, repulsion, or dread. It gives the work a frightening atmosphere. Whilst there are many subgenres of horror, the largest amount of horror stories focus on topics like death, evil, the supernatural and witchcraft. This is most likely the case because of its ancient …show more content…
The responses can be psychological, emotional or physical, for instance causing the reader to cry from fear. H.P Lovecraft, an American author who produced works of horror, stated that fear is both the oldest and strongest emotion that humanity has felt, and that fear of the unknown is the most prominent type of fear. This is another reason why religious horror used to be so popular, as religious people fear demons and hell. Even atheists can be afraid of the after-life and do not know whether hell exists or not, so religious horror affects even …show more content…
It tends to have romantic and supernatural aspects, with the purpose to both seduce and horrify the audience. Even when they do not contain the paranormal or supernatural, they remain mysterious due to the focus on a very dark atmosphere. There tends to be a lot of symbolism in gothic horror as well. Fascinatingly enough, it is one of the oldest subgenres of horror and can even be considered to be the mother of all modern genre fiction, as the first sci fi authors got inspiration from gothic horror. The name “Gothic” originates from an architecture in the Middle Ages, which Brits from the 18th and 19th century were interested in because of its mysterious and creepy aura. Back then, there were a lot of Gothic ruins scattered around in Great Britain that inspired british authors to write horror set in the Middle Ages, often taking place in Catholic
Although Gothic Elements can be very sadistic and twisted the use of it is seen in all types of stories. Some of the more famous stories that Gothic Elements are used in are the following “ A Rose for Emily,” “ The Minister’s Black Veil,” and “ The Tell- Tale Heart”. In these stories, gothic elements are found all over the place do you know why? Well the reason is that all these stories are darker stories than most. Gothic Elements are needed to make a superb scary story.
Stephen King writes stories based on scary movies , because he feels It can help a lot of people from being angry and being able to go back to the normal time. His point of view is correct cause all people do get frustrated and do things that aren't supposed to be done,but with Stephen King is being able to write things like this would help them be great so they can just lay back have stress relief and be normal all over again. Stephen King’s claim that we watch and read horror is to show “that we are not afraid” (1).Being able to watch movies and read stories is a great idea it will keep parents and kids out of a lot of trouble.Most of us spend our entire lives avoiding our “hysterical fear” of death, and
‘Gothic Horror’ is a style of literature that is defined by elements of fear, horror, death and gloom, not to mention romantic elements like nature, individuality and very high emotion. It can also include supernatural themes. This style usually appeals more to an older audience, rather than children. It can appeal more to this audience because gothic horror can be used to explore serious themes and ideas, and older audiences can fully appreciate that. An older audience is also more likely to enjoy the feeling of fear gothic horror usually gives.
Another reason why we crave horror is that we “reestablish our feelings of essential normality” (King, “Why We Crave” 1). Let's say someone is having a horrible day, and feeling very depressed or down about themselves. Well, reading a horror story like “Strawberry Spring” will cheer that individual up. This is because we start to feel like “We are still light years away from true ugliness” (King, “Why We Crave” 1). For example, at the end of the short story the narrator starts to realize he is the killer of all the horrible murders, and didn't even know. The narrator says things like “The lovely creeping fog” and “Such an ugly word trunk-and wondering why in the world I should be afraid to open it.” We start to feel
To begin with, a song relating to the topic, “ And if the clouds burst, thunder in your ear, you shout and no one seems to hear, and if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes, I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon,” ( Pink Floyd, ‘Dark Side of the Moon’). These lyrics indicate that people have a dark side to their personality, it sends a message out saying that, according to Stephen King, people are “ all mentally ill”, ( King, “Why We Crave Horror” 1). Although, King’s claims can be proved, there are claims that not all people enjoy horror. Therefore, Stephen King’s statement that horror can help humans face fears is accurate, on the other hand, his statement that all people are insane doesn’t relate with all humans nor
Why do people watch horror movies when they know they are going to experience negative emotions? Why do people want to put themselves through that? Furthermore, Stephen King, an author of many horror books, has his own opinion on this, this referring to people and the need to watch or read horror. He wrote an essay, “Why We Crave Horror”, that explains why people want to experience those emotions that are a part of the Human Condition. Stephen King rightfully claims that people crave horror to show that they are not afraid, also to re-establish their feelings of normality, and to have some fun.
The gothic writing is more of an imitation of medievalism, in which horror is the central theme. The pieces written during this time aimed to make their works pleasurably terrifying. Writers and poets in this era used tools to make their works relate to the mysterious, fantastic, supernatural, and ghostly. Mary Shelley did a great job of this in her terrifying novel, Frankenstein (The Romantic Period: Topics).
When we think about horror, we think about death and bad things happening to good people. Horror gives a face to material that generally does not have a face. It gets our blood flowing and you cannot stop thinking about it. When is the next bad thing going to happen? Who is it going to happen to? It allows our minds to be creative and picture what we want. It kind of follows the idea that we are not at the top of the food chain like we always are and most people find that scary. Matthew Lewis does a wonderful job of depicting horror in The Monk.
The media has a way of influencing people of all ages. Specifically, violence and horror in the media are the most debated. Why do people go to watch violent movies or horror movies? They go for entertainment without realizing the physical or mental effects. Kathy Benjamin’s “5 Scientific Ways Watching Movies Effects You” and Bernie DeGroat’s “Scary Movies Can Have Lasting Effects on Children and Teens” both mention the negative effects of movies, especially horror movies, with research or studies. However, only one of the essays, “5 Scientific Ways Watching Movies Effects You,” mentions some positive effects. Statistics have shown that watching these type movies can have short and long term repercussions.
A girl runs frantically through the woods trying to escape an axe wielding villain. The defenseless victim suddenly trips and collapses to the ground. The villain laughs wickedly as he lifts the axe above his head. The girl releases a final scream as the weapon quickly ends her life, causing the audience to go silent as they watch the villain drag away the lifeless body. Death, blood, guts, suspense, screaming, and terror are all just a few things to expect when watching a modern day horror film. What is horror? Horror can be defined as an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. (Wilson) The description of horror is not very pleasant, but for some reason horror films are extremely popular. Why is this so? People are addicted to the
Typically, horror stories feature vicious creatures that are not quite human. They often have some sort of supernatural power or unusual feature that adds a sense of danger and makes them truly terrifying. Bram Stoker, author of the classic novel Dracula, described his monster as having sparkling red eyes, a very
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, " famous quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The single human mind isn't always born with several outrageous fears, but they are incorporated in during the journey of life. There are numerous ways to obtain fears, but a majority is acquired through the horror genre. Unfortunately, as middle school students age, the horror genre is becoming more and more popular for them, therefore, them wanting to participate in this trend and lead up to them gaining certain mental health complications because of it. Some such as anxiety and phobias, insomnia, and aggressive behavior.
Gothic Literature is a style of literature popularized during the late 18th century and the early 19th century with the publication of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This style usually portrays fantastic tales dealing with the horror, despair, the grotesque and other “dark” subjects. Characteristics of gothic literature includes the presence of victims and their victimizers who usually hold immense powers along with their evil purpose. The setting of this kind of literature generally takes place within impenetrable walls, whether physical or mental. This setting creates a sense of hopeless isolation within the victim. The summarization of the characters and situation creates an atmosphere pervaded by a sense of mystery, darkness, oppressiveness, fear, and doom.
Gothic Literature is a writing style that has dark setting, it has an overall atmosphere of mystery, exoticism, death. A Gothic story will revolve around a large, ancient house or an obscure setting that conceals a terrible secret or that serves as the refuge of an especially frightening and threatening character
Horror movies. The type of genre that gives a thrill of adrenaline, yet also gives nightmares late at night. Everyone has watched a horror movie at least once in their lives. And during the movie there is also a time in which the viewer just wants to punch the TV screen and call it quits. Whether it is because their favorite character just did something dumb, or because the ending was horrible, there is always a moment in which one thinks: I would have chosen a better option. I could have survived. In literature, it is often the same thing. Believe it or not, fear is a huge contributor to how the story goes; how it ends, and who dies. Fear either motivates the character to take action or, defeats them. But fear doesn’t act alone. Fear influences people, but what influences the fear? The answer is quite simple, no matter how shocking it can be. Just as love brings happiness, it also brings forth the poison of fear. Whether it is the fear of losing the person they love, or fear that they are no longer loved, both of them are huge contributors on how a character’s actions or decisions are influenced.