Setting
Do you want to SEE what makes
horror literature so scary?
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
Pay attention!!!!
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
Definition: Horror is a genre of literature which is intended to, or
has the capacity to frighten, scare, or startle readers by inducing
feelings of horror or terror. It creates an eerie and frightening
atmosphere and can be either supernatural or non-supernatural. It
causes readers, often, to feel repulsion, revulsion, or loathing.
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
Some horror literature and the fear it induces can be interpreted
as a metaphor for the larger fears of a society. For instance, the
fear of being buried alive, fear of snakes, fear of clowns, etc. can
be the perfect bed in which to plant a seed of fear and horror.
History of the Horror Genre:
• Roots in folklore and religious traditions. Themes such as death,
evil, demonic beings, witches, vampires werewolves, mummies and
ghosts.
• Gothic Horror in the 18th Century:
• Drew on folklore and mythology=The Castle of Otranto
(1764) by Horace Walpole-Incorporated supernatural
elements instead of pure realism.
• Vathek (1786) by William Beckford
• The
Mysteries
of and
Udolpho
(1794)
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• Horror in the 19th Century:
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• Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelly
• Varied works of Edgar Allan Poe including
“The Fall of House of Usher,” “Tell-Tale Heart,””
“Cask of Amontillado,” “The Raven,”
“Masque of the Red Death,” etc.
• Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert
Louis Stevenson
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• Modern Horror in the 20th Century:
• Drew on themes of the past and new themes including apocalyptic
zombie fiction and increased levels of supernatural beings.
• “Cool Air,” (1925), “The Vault,” (1926), and “The Outsider”
(1926), were written by H.P. Lovecraft.
• I am Legend (1954) was written by Richard Matheson.
• Varied works of Stephen King are best known
contemporary horror:
• Carrie
The Shining
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Setting for the Horror Genre
Dark
Old, haunted house
Deserted buildings/isolated house Out at sea away from land
Deserted stretch of road
Attic/basement
Post apocalyptic urban environment Camp deep in the woods
Grave yard
Medieval world
Dark forest
Cabin in the woods
Old castle
The prom
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Protagonist
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Stormy
night
(wind, thunder, lightning, rain)
be the perfect bed in which to plant a seed of horror.
Mid-Night
Science lab
Themes for the Horror Genre
Revenge
Haunting
Demons and Exorcisms
Gore
Serial Killers
Religious Belief/Ritual
Ghosts/Apparitions
Some
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Characters of the
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Sexy Girl
Jock
Non-Believer
Characters of the
Horror
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Killers
Genre
Clown
Ghost Face
Dork
Neighbor
Psycho-Killer
Fierce Animal
Themes
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Masked
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horror horrific!!!!
Vampire
Mentally Ill Person Werewolf
Mummy
Aliens
Zombies
Sub-Genres of the Characters
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“Texas
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Others”
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“The Shining”
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“Nightmare on Elm Street”
“The Innocents”
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TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
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TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
Horror Genre
Chain Saw
Cleaver
Chain
Pitch Fork
Knife
Machete
Pick Axe
Sickle
Axe
Fisherman’s Hook
Setting
Saw
Branding Iron
Baseball Bat
Hatchet
Scythe
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Sledge Hammer
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A Genre
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Themes
that
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Scissors
Evil Spells
horror
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Scalpel
Forceps
Graveyards,
old or abandoned
homes, dark
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Lane
Lawn Mower
forests,
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Rope
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Devices Used to FrightenMasks
the Reader
Loud Noises
Setting
Creepy
Stare
Blood Chilling Scream
Moaning or Howling
Phone Call Middle of the
Night
Creaking Doors
Squeaking Steps
Cob Webs
Gruesome and Violent
Dismemberment
Blatant Disregard for
Life
TThe Horror
Genre
Mass Incarnate Infestation
Dark Forces at Work
Time Running Out
Pentagram and Other
Satanic Images
A Character Who Keeps
Falling When Escaping
Inhuman Contortion of
the Body
Candles Being Blown Out
Unexplained Footsteps
Knock at the Door
Desire to be God-Like
The setting of a horror story is important
because it contributes to the TONE of the
Themes
that
make
story. Horror story settings often include:
horror horrific!!!!
Graveyards,
old or abandoned homes, dark
Scurrying Animals
forests,
Unexplained Puff of Wind
Techniques Authors Use to Create and Maintain Suspense (1):
Setting
 Protagonist is in Jeopardy:
When readers care about characters, they engage emotionally
in the action and are fearful of the threat…tension builds as a result.
 More Promises and Less Action:
Anticipation of action is often more powerful and engaging than actual action.
Like blowing up a balloon, an author can continue to inflate the balloon until the
reader is fearful it will pop. The process of “building action” keeps the reader fearful!
 Let Characters Tell Readers Their Plans:
Telling plans creates anticipation and excitement!
Action-sequences followed by moments of character reorientation and
planning keep readers seeking new plot elements.
 Pile on Complications:
Challenging the protagonist with problems and dilemmas adds to the tension
of the story. As the plot becomes more complicated with layers of conflicts, the
reader must continue reading.
 Frightening Setting:
The setting of a horror story contributes to the fear the reader feels. For instance, a
story that takes place in a cemetery, dark forest, abandoned house, mid-night, castle,
laboratory, stormy night, etc. are all frightening and cause anxiety and fear.
 Time Constraints:
Authors use time to create tension. For instance, often the protagonist is battling
the clock while fighting the antagonist. A clicking clock or finite time-line with
potentially harmful results waiting at the deadline is a frightening literary tool.
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
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Techniques Authors Use to Create and Maintain Suspense (2):
Reduction in Acts of Violence:
Less violence is better…the threat of violence is even more frightening!
Valuing human life increases suspense! Sometimes, the anticipation of
violence is more frightening than the actual violence.
Be One Step Ahead of the Reader:
Appeal to the reader’s fears and phobias (snakes, clowns, etc).
Use countdowns, deadlines to feed the escalation of tension.
Isolate the main character prior to the climax.
Character Places Him/Herself in Danger:
The reader will feel like yelling at the character who chooses to go into the attic in
the dark or up the stairs where a chainsaw is running.
Plot Ambiguity:
Let the action or plot resolution remain a question…often the reader’s
imagination is more vivid than the story itself.
Unpredictability:
The hero’s attempts to solve the conflict should result in unpredictable
consequences and circumstances. For instance, an antagonist that is
apparently dead but comes back to life is always alarming. Or, a creepy
apparition leaping out of nowhere is tension-building.
Protagonists should be really good and antagonists should be really bad:
A really evil antagonist is unpredictable and alarmingly sadistic. However, a really
likeable protagonist elicits sympathy and support throughout the story.
Italicized Words/Exclamation Marks/Bolded Words:
Authors use these techniques to enhance emotions, feelings, and tension.
Setting
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
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Techniques Authors Use to Create and Maintain Suspense (3):
Abnormal Human Contortion or Characteristics:
When a character is human but has cat eyes, or has three arms, or has
pointy ears or has a head facing backwards, or a human head on the body
of a spider…these are all frightening images and contribute to the suspense.
Fake Conflicts or Battles:
An author can maintain fear for the reader by creating circumstances that
would lead the reader to think something horrible is going to happen when,
In reality, nothing happens. The fear of something happening is just as
frightening as something happening.
Keep the Stakes High:
The story must include some sort of crisis that is devastating to the
protagonist’s world, and the hero must be willing to do almost anything to
prevent it from occurring.
Apply Pressure:
The hero should be working under what seems like impossible odds. All of
his skills and abilities should be stretched to the breaking point particularly
in the climax of the story.
Dramatic Irony:
Using Dramatic Irony can add to the tension in a story. For instance, when
the reader knows that the antagonist waiting for the protagonist in the
forest but the hero remains unware, that irony creates suspense.
Setting
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!
Devices Used to Frighten the Reader
Loud Noises
Blood Chilling Scream
Moaning or Howling
Phone Call Middle of the Night
Creaking Doors
Squeaking Steps
Cob Webs
Gruesome and Violent
Dismemberment
Blatant Disregard for
Life
Scurrying Animals (i.e. rats)
Unexplained Puff of Wind
Unexplained Sounds
Masks
Right here,
Creepy Stare
let’s pick 6
Mass Incarnate Infestation together
Dark Forces at Work
Time Running Out
Pentagram and Other Satanic Images
A Character Who Keeps
Falling When Escaping
Inhuman Contortion of
the Body
Candle Being Blown Out
Unexplained Footsteps
Knock at the Door
Desire to be God-Like (Original Sin)
Setting in the Horror Genre
An another
Dark
Old, haunted house
6 from here
Deserted buildings
Out at sea away from land
Deserted stretch of road
Attic/basement
Post apocalyptic urban environment Camp deep in the woods
Grave yard
Medieval world
Dark forest
Cabin in the woods
Old castle
The prom
Psychiatric ward
Outer space
Orphanage
Hospital
Night time
Morgue
Protagonist is alone
Stormy night(wind, thunder, rain, lightning)
Mid-Night
Science lab
Out of the way, isolated house
Setting
TThe Horror
Genre
Themes that make
horror horrific!!!!