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Notes on Horror as a type of fiction

“Horror is not a genre, it is an emotion. It is a progressive form of fiction, one that evolves to meet the fears and anxieties of its times.” (Douglas E. Winter)

Definitions of “horror” fiction usually focus on reader response, specifically disturbing emotions. Because interpreting literature requires, above all, paying close attention to literature itself rather than speculating about hypothetical readers, in this course we concentrate on that which provokes reader response, the horrifying phenomenon described or implied in the story. Given that the concept “horrifying phenomenon” is unhelpfully broad and vague, we focus on a more manageable, narrower concept of the phenomena which horrify or terrify, such as the “monster” and the “monstrous.”

What is a 'monster'?

Recent dictionary definitions are surprisingly limited and literal, focusing largely on physical traits, and reinforcing the unhelpful assumption that by definition monsters are supernatural.

The very earliest definitions of the terms “monster” and “monstrous” by contrast provide less limiting guidance to reading horror fiction.

Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language (1755)

MO'NSTER. n.s. [monstre, Fr. monstrum, Latin.] 1. Something out of the common order of nature. 2. Something horrible for deformity, wickedness, or mischief.

To MO'NSTER. v.a. [from the noun.] To put out of the common order of things. Not in use.

MONSTRO'SITY. MONSTRUOSITY MONSTRU'OSITY. n.s. [from monstrous.] The state of being monstrous, or out of the common order of the universe. Monstrosity is more analogous.

MO'NSTROUS. adj. [monstrueux, Fr. monstrosus, Latin.]

1. Deviating from the stated order of nature. 2. Strange; wonderful. Generally with some degree of dislike. 3. Irregular; enormous. 4. Shocking; hateful.

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MO'NSTROUSLY. adv. [from monstrous.]

1. In a manner out of the common order of nature; shockingly; terribly; horribly. 2. To a great or enormous degree.

MO'NSTROUSNESS. n.s. [from monstrous.] Enormity; irregular nature or behaviour.

Joseph Campbell The Power of Myth

(1988)

"By monster I mean some horrendous presence or apparition that explodes all of your standards for harmony, order, and ethical conduct" (Campbell 222).

Horror Fiction

According to Stephen King, horror is generated when “our confidence in the sane, predictable cosmic order is suspended” and we move “beyond the safe, normal confines of [our] everyday world” (Dans Macabre)

BUT what exactly constitutes • “the common order of things”? • “standards for harmony, order, and ethical conduct”? • “sane, predictable cosmic order”? • a “safe, normal . . . everyday world”?

Horror raises and addresses such questions through its use of monsters and monstrous elements, and also through its use of the various types of irony.

1 World view: shared perception of and beliefs about the world, our selves, social norms and codes of conduct, etc. Way of making sense of human experiences. Culture-specific.

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Important background information to bear in mind when considering the characteristics and role of the monster in any horror story:

Divergent Western World Views1

Divergent Western Definitions of Natural and Moral Norms

Age of Faith Age of Science

spiritual/religious secular (God is dead)

theocentric – God = central focus anthropocentric – humanity = central focus

history = a linear descent, starting with humanity’s eviction from Eden

history = a linear ascent – evolutionary “progress” (ongoing “improvement”)

humanity is imperfect, fallen from a state of grace (original sin)

humanity is primal, central, the most highly evolved of all species

soul mind, reason

soul, faith, need and ability to seek redemption = humanity’s definitive traits

mind, intellect, intelligence, capacity for reason = humanity’s definitive traits

childlike traits, especially emotions, can bring humanity closer to God

emotions & imagination = weaknesses, childish or feminine distractions

stewards of the earth rulers of nature

Free will – capacity to choose freely Determinism – human identity shaped by biology and environment – limited or no free

will

Code of conduct based on morality – belief in the existence of good and evil

Survival of the fittest Enlightened self-interest

neither good nor evil exist

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According to Stephen King: Horror “can be divided into two groups, [“inside evil”] in which horror results from an act of free and conscious will – a conscious decision to do evil – and [“outside evil”] in which horror is predestinate, coming from the outside like a stroke of lightning” ( Dans Macabre)

This definition presupposes a world view in which good and evil exist, and humans can and should exercise free will (choose to be heroes or villains). Do all the assigned readings reflect such a world view?

An alternative definition is that horror fiction can be divided into two groups, one in which monsters/the monstrous merely threaten/challenge an implied world view, another in which monsters/the monstrous horrifyingly expose the unreliability of a world view.

Works Cited

Campbell, Joseph . The Power of Myth . NY: Doubleday, 1988.

Delahoyde, Michael A. "Introduction." Monsters. Department of English. Washington State University. http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/monsters.intro.html February 17, 2017

King, Stephen. Dans Macabre. London: MacDonald, 1985.