ENG 4C1
What is Horror Fiction?

What images first appear in your mind
when you hear the term “horror fiction”?
What is Horror Fiction?
Michael Myers?
What is Horror Fiction?
Freddy Krueger?
What is Horror Fiction?
Frankenstein?
What is Horror Fiction?
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
What is Horror Fiction today?
Webster’s Collegiate
Dictionary defines
horror as...
“a painful and intense
fear, dread or dismay.”

Horror fictions only
true requirement is
that it elicit an
emotional reaction
that includes some
aspect of fear or
dread.
What is Horror Fiction today?

Can horror fiction
involve blood and
gore?

Can it involve ghosts
and ghouls?

What about the
fears we keep
hidden in our
minds?
What is Horror Fiction today?

Can the horror
genre include the
Bible?

It does include fallen
angels, demonic
possessions and an
apocalypse. . .
What is Horror Fiction today?
“Horror is not a genre,
like the mystery or
science fiction or the
western. It is not a
kind of fiction, meant
to be defined to the
ghetto of a special
shelf in libraries or
book stores. Horror is
an emotion.”
- Douglas Winter (author)
What is Horror Fiction today?
As children, we might
be afraid of...

shadows looming from a
half-closed closet door.

the monsters living under
our beds.

the eerie sounds coming
from our basements.
Fears...
Think back to when
you were a child.

What were you
afraid of?
What is Horror Fiction today?

As adults, our fears
become more
sophisticated, more
grounded in worldly
events.
Such as the death of a
loved one, the
terminal illness of a
small child, or feeling
life is out of our
control.
Therefore, horror fiction
involves FEAR

Fears...

Now that you are a
young adult, what
frightens you?

What do you fear?
What is Horror Fiction today?

Horror, by nature, is
a personal touch –
an intrusion into our
comfort levels.

It speaks of the
human condition
and forcibly reminds
us of how little we
actually know and
understand.
Elements of Horror

1. Evil 2. Chaos and
3. Danger are three
key elements specific
to the horror fiction.

Although there are
several other
components that are
needed to create
good horror fiction,
these three elements
are essential.
1. Evil

All horror fiction involves a
major embodiment of
evil.

Evil is something that is
morally wrong, bad or
defies social conventions.

It can be human, animal,
supernatural, almost
anything.

There can be several
embodiments of evil, but
usually one stands out the
most.
2. Chaos

In all horror fiction
there is a pattern of
order turning into
chaos.

This is known as the
elements of the
unexpected, the
unpredictable and
the uncontrollable.
Chaos

This is where
characters change
their behaviour
drastically, have
psychological
breakdowns, or
suddenly reveal
supernatural
powers.
3. Danger

Horror fiction always
involves the element of
danger.

Characters are put into
immediate physical risk
or get involved in some
sort of corruption.

Often the character
betrays him/herself,
wherein the characters put
themselves in danger due
to a drastic change in
personality or a loss of
sanity.

Danger is also an element
when reality is overturned,
meaning the reality moves
from a safe, normal
environment to one of risk,
danger and disorder.
Review

Define horror fiction.
Answer

Horror fictions only
true requirement is
that it elicit an
emotional reaction
that includes some
aspect of fear or
dread.
Review

What are the three
elements of horror?
Review
1.
Evil
2.
Chaos
3.
Danger
Who is Stephen King?
Who is Stephen King?

Portland, Maine

Lived with his mother.

His father left when Stephen
was very young.

He left behind a collection of
fantasy-horror fiction books.

As a youth, Stephen read
scary books, he listened to
horror stories on the radio,
and he watched science
fiction films.
Who is Stephen King?

In high school, King wrote
short stories modelled on
the books he had read.

He began sending them to
science fiction magazines
(though none were
published).

He received a scholarship
to study English at the
University of Maine.
Who is Stephen King?

While in college, he
worked several parttime jobs to support
himself.

He married Tabitha
Jane Spruce whom
he met at university
and remains married
to today.
Who is Stephen King?

During college, Stephen
published two short stories
for which he received a
total of $70.

He later worked as an
English teacher at a
private high school.

Periodically he would sell a
story to a magazine, but
the young couple barely
had enough money to pay
their bills.
Who is Stephen King?

Discouraged, King
threw away a book
manuscript.

Tabitha retrieved it
and encouraged
Stephen to send it to
an editor who had
shown some interest
in his efforts.
Who is Stephen King?

The manuscript he
threw away later
became his first
published novel, Carrie.

The novel’s paperback
right’s were sold for
$400,000.

Horror readers loved it
and his career was
born!

The novel was later
turned into a financially
successful movie.
Who is Stephen King?

Let’s watch a clip
from the film Carrie.
Stephen King
Several of King’s works
made it to the big screen.
 1974 - Carrie
1977 - The Shining
 1986 - It
 1987 – Misery
 1996 - The Green Mile
Just to name a few…

His most recent work is a
trilogy called Mr. Mercedes
For more information visit stephenking.com
What makes Stephen King Worthy of Study?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Stephen King is first and foremost, a good
storyteller.
He uses terror, horror, and “gross”
techniques to captivate his readers.
He cleverly creates the unexpected.
Youthful and elderly characters are
important in his stories.
He provides insights into the dark side of
humanity.
What makes Stephen King Worthy of Study?
6. The forces of good and evil are often equal
combatants.
7. The fragility of life is a major theme.
8. He writes about “taboo subjects” such as
death, destruction, and the unknown.
9. Characters often harbour evil and/or
vengeful feelings that compel their actions.
10. He is not a moralist; his stories unfold
naturally.
Stephen King on fears...
“People ask what scares me.
Everything scares me.
Bugs are bad...
Sometimes I think about
taking a bite into a great
big hoagie, you know... full
of bugs...Getting stuck in
elevators... Airplanes. The
dark is a big one. I don’t
like the dark...Just about
everything frightens me.”
- Stephen King
Stephen King

Read the article
entitled King of
Horror to learn more
about the author
Stephen King.
Short Stories and Horror Fiction Terms
Review

Define Horror Fiction.
Short Stories and Horror Fiction Terms
Answer

Horror fiction is a piece of writing that elicits an
emotional reaction in the reader that includes
some aspect of fear or dread.
Short Stories and Horror Fiction Terms:
Review Question

What are the three elements of Horror Fiction?
Short Stories and Horror Fiction Terms:
Answer
1.Evil
2. Chaos
3. Danger
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am picture created by an author using
concrete details, adjectives, and
figurative language.
What literary term am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am IMAGERY!
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a metaphor in which human attributes
are given to inanimate objects.
Who am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am PERSONIFICATION!
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a comparison between two unlike
things without using like or as.
Who am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a METAPHOR!
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a deliberate exaggeration not meant
to be taken literally.
Who am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a HYPERBOLE!
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am an object that represents something
else.
Who am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a SYMBOL!
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a figure of speech that makes a
comparison between two seemingly
unlike things using a connective word
such as “like” or “as”.
Who am I?
Reviewing Literary Terms
I am a SIMILE!
Character
Define static character.
Character
A static character does not change
throughout the narrative.
Character
Define dynamic character.
Character
A dynamic character is often the
protagonist who undergoes a significant
change throughout the narrative.
Literary Term Graffiti Activity
1. The class will be divided into
groups.
2. Each group will be assigned a
literary term for which they
will record the definition on
chart paper. You may use
your class notes or a
dictionary to define the
term.
3. Each group member will then
offer an example of the
literary device and record it
on chart paper.
Graffiti Activity
4. After about 3-4 minutes, each
group will be asked to rotate
to a new station (moving
clockwise).
5. At each station your group will
read the definition of the
literary term and offer an
example.
6. By the time each group has
visited every station, we will
have chart paper that looks
like graffiti and a good
understanding of the literary
devices we will be studying
in our short story unit!
Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999)

An American director, writer,
producer, and photographer of
films.

England

Nominated for several Oscars.

Kubrick is widely acknowledged
as one of the most
accomplished, innovative and
influential filmmakers in the
history of cinema.
The Shining

The Shining, released in 1980,
was adapted from the novel of
the same name by bestselling
horror writer Stephen King.

The film stars Jack Nicholson
as Jack Torrance, a failed writer
who takes a job as an offseason caretaker of the
Overlook Hotel, a high-class
resort deep in the Colorado
mountains.

The job requires spending the
winter in the isolated hotel with
his wife, Wendy and their
young son, Danny, who is gifted
with a form of telepathy—the
"shining" of the film's title.
The Shining

Among horror movie fans,
The Shining is a cult classic,
often appearing at the top of
best horror film lists alongside
Psycho (1960), The Exorcist
and other horror classics.

Some of its images, such as
an antique elevator
disgorging a tidal wave of
blood, are among the most
recognizable and widely
known images from any
Stanley Kubrick film.

The Shining was extremely
financially successful!

Let’s watch the film!