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
‘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.
Gothic novels tend to explore the mysterious and unexplained supernatural phenomena and ghosts. Frankenstein falls under the gothic genre because of the books general themes and context, Shelley describes reanimating a dead body. Throughout the book Shelley builds suspense for the readers, which is a distinctive feature for the gothic genre. Frankenstein combines ominous scenery, mysterious characters, and the monster itself that creates the feeling of impending doom on everyone.
A horror is a story or movie that causes an intense feeling of fear, shock or
One in four college students in a recent study said they experience lingering effects of a frightful movie or TV experience from childhood. (Bernie DeGroat) Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief the someone or something is dangerous causing pain, or threats. It is not appropriate for middle schoolers to read classic horror stories like “The Tell-Tale Heart”, because they can cause them anxiety and it can make them aggressive after watching scary movies.
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
Definitions of horror tend to emphasize the psychological effect it has on audiences. Specifically, they highlight the internal terror that arises from encountering threats to existence. According to
In addition, people crave horror to have fun. To have fun going through the emotions with the story, and just the storyline in general. Multiple women are killed in the short story “Strawberry Spring,” and despite that macabre fact the experience is still a “peculiar sort of fun” (King, “Why We Crave” 2). Horror can be considered fun, it “provide[s] psychic relief on this level because this invitation to lapse into simplicity,
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.
Why is horror a necessity to human life? Why, when something horrible has taken place people want to know all the gruesome details? Why is it that we all love packing into a movie theater to watch innocent people be lynched and destroyed? In his essay “Why We Crave Horror” Stephen King rightfully claims he has the answers to these troubling questions. He brilliantly states that humans crave horror to face our fears, to regain a sense of normality, and have a little fun.
One time we went to the movie to watch a scary movie that just came out and after that movie we were so spooked and scared and after that we never watch another scary movie after that, later on that day we went and none of us could sleep because we always thought someone was coming in the house because all we heard noises coming from downstairs of the house. These are the types of fears brought up in Stephen King’s article “Why We Crave Horror.” Stephen King’s claims are true because we read horror stories or watch horror movies to get over the fact of being frightened ; his claims help people get back to be normal and help them release anger and emotions.
This genre is so appealing to use for movies since it has such a strong sense of morbidness, suspense, horror, and overall creepiness. In essence, all of these the emotions and gut instincts are what make these movies so appealing to an audience and make these conventions so popular. In the long run, many movies are recreated or based on popular gothic stories. Horror and romantic movies are the most influenced by gothic literature with mystery and action movies being very closely influenced as well. With how well gothic conventions have blended into modern it becomes almost impossible to see where the influence of gothic literatures begins and ends. On the whole, these movies are influenced by gothic conventions such as: dissolution of the family structure, mental breakdowns, elements of the supernatural, dark and foreboding nature, and hundreds more. All in all, this very clearly shows how important gothic literature is to contemporary culture, even though it is becoming more difficult to distinguish what is gothic
What is it about horror movies that makes it so appealing? In Stephen King’s essay Why We Crave Horror Movies, he introduces the desires of fear. He argues that watching horror movies allows us to overcome the inner insanity inside us, allowing us to train out inner demons, accomplishing this through the use of ethos, humor, and metaphors. King does a good job of establishing credibility.
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
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.