What is Horror?

Major Despard · 08-15-2007, 07:59 PM

I'm doing a course in my English class on the history of horror literature - and just out of curiosity, if you wouldn't mind answering this question:

To you, what is 'horror'?

What is it? What do you associate with it? etc, etc...

Thanks!

Spøkelse · 08-15-2007, 08:16 PM

Horror = Heroes being canceled and Paramore dying

No, that was a joke (not really) just a (no!) joke.

Horror, to me, is pure, intense fear, like being so terrified of something real or unreal that you can feel it consuming you. I associate fear and dread with horror. As well as darkened rooms and thunderstorms. Just the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you're so freakin' scared of something you know isn't there and has no chance in hell of hurting you.

The topic of fear and horror is one of my favorites

But I'm not good at descriptions and explanations...

BeautifullyBroken · 08-15-2007, 08:22 PM

being afraid of something. Like deathly afraid.

Like Billie I too suck at explainations and stuff.

Riann · 08-15-2007, 08:53 PM

Clowns..for the love of god clowns. I wish I was joking too.

Spøkelse · 08-15-2007, 08:53 PM

OMG CLOWNS!!! O.O

The_Heroic_Loser · 08-15-2007, 08:57 PM

You're taking a course on horror? That's pretty badass.....I wish my high school offered that.

Sam Bradley · 08-15-2007, 08:57 PM

I agree.Clowns are the essence of horror.

Major Despard · 08-15-2007, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heroic_Loser

You're taking a course on horror? That's pretty badass.....I wish my high school offered that.

Yeah, it's awesome!

But, in truth, the course is a "negotiated study" semester (someone else is looking at historical fiction, another is looking at Margaret Atwood novels). And I chose to look at horror lit. In fact, considering that I'm at a Christian school, I'm surprised they let me do it...

karambit · 08-16-2007, 03:03 AM

If we're talking about genres, then I have a whole load to get off my chest.

Horror fiction (as it applies to movies) is normally little more than a writer taking a group of chracters and killing them of one by one, some times faster because they aren't creative to kill seven people but creative enough to create them.

For reading, I would reccomend anything by Edgar Allen Poe. Specifically, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Telltale Heart, and The Penduluum(sp?).

Major Despard · 08-16-2007, 03:08 AM

As for your definition of film horror, I must say that I completely agree. Although horror novels are usually a little different - especially when the delve into psychological horror.

And I love Poe - Tell-tale Heart, House of Usher and The Raven are favourites. Haven't read Pendulum, but I'll check it out. I also really enjoyed the novels Dracula and Frankenstein, which are both much better than their film adaptations.