Horror in literature and film

Gothic and Romanticism

Academic Discussion- Horror

Aim: How can we analyze horror in film and literature?

Do Now: What are some of your favorite horror films or novels? Why do you like it?

Hw: Make a list of 3-4 horror novels/films. Explain in a paragraph each what elements made it scary and why you believe it appealed to readers/audience?

H.P Lovecraft

"The oldest and strongest of human emotions is fear, especially fear of the unknown."

When malevolent and dark powers are involved, operating beyond our reality, they can produce "Cosmic Fear." This is the fear that generates a truly weird tale.

Stephen King

"Horror exists on three levels, each one defined by the emotion it aims to produce."

• The highest level aims for Terror
• The next level aims towards Horror (Develops more visceral response)
• The final level aims for Revulsion and Disgust

THE END?

Basics on horror in literature

TENSION IS EVERYTHING! Throwing your audience into a horrific event without any development spells doom for you.

Horror is at its best when it's about tragedy

Everything has been done in horror, so don't feel bad if you follow examples form some of your favorite authors

Five Elements of Good Horror

Aim: How can we analyze the paradox of horror?

Do Now: Do you agree with the following definition of fear? Is there something that you would add? Why/why/not?

One of the defining traits of the genre of horror is that it provokes a response; emotional, psychological or physical, within readers that causes them to react with fear

1. Fear

2. Surprise

3. Suspense

4. Mystery

5. Foreshadowing

Fear and Horror

How does The Horror Story Work?

The Basic Horror Story Tool Kit

• Recurring themes
• believable characters
• and unique narrative situations

Things That Scare Us the Most

looking foolish,

terrorist attacks,

spiders,

war,

making mistakes,

the future,

being alone,

criminal or gang violence,

Suffocation,

Failing a test,

Injury of a loved one,

death of a loved one,

your own death,

being self-conscious,

not being a success,

snakes,

nuclear war,

speaking in front of a group,

The Paradox (contradiction) of Horror:

What's so Appealing?

Why Horror?

Why would anyone want to be intentionally horrified or frightened?

The Great Paradox of Horror

The Narrative Structure

Tragedy presents the same Paradox

Our Curiosity

A major concept of horror is the idea that horror is ultimately driven by our curiosity. The existence of monsters and the possibility of their existence drives our curiosity.

Film Analysis

Monsters

Take note on the color, sound, tone and any literary devices that are used in each clip.

If you were to write a horror story it is almost essential to have stories that are constantly discovering and “proving” something that is impossible.

It is common for characters in your story to undergo a journey to discover that monsters exist. Can it be summoned, can it be created?

Gothic and the Gothic Novel

American Gothic

In groups, discuss the following question below and come to a consensus based on the answers that group members provides. Write your answers in your notebook. One person should be ready to share.

Some critics argue that horror fiction causes readers to think and act in unhealthy, morbid ways. How would you respond? Could this be true of other genres too?

Gothic and Horror are synonymous. Gothic Horror provides writers with a form of blueprint that could be used in horror writing.

• Graveyards
• Gloomy castles
• Haunted Houses
• Menacing Villains