The Horror Genre
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." (H. P. Lovecraft.)
How Horror is usually defined: Horror fiction, horror literature and also horror fantasy is a genre of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, scare or startle viewers/readers by inducing feelings of horror or terror. It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural.
How I define Horror: A work of art in which the user actively seeks out and confronts concepts/ideas/fears that they otherwise would choose to ignore. (Think Hamlet and the skull of Yorick.) Thusly I believe horror is user/reader driven. (If you are not scared, is it really horror for you?) The work must also feature a menace.
How Horror is usually defined: Horror fiction, horror literature and also horror fantasy is a genre of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, scare or startle viewers/readers by inducing feelings of horror or terror. It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural.
How I define Horror: A work of art in which the user actively seeks out and confronts concepts/ideas/fears that they otherwise would choose to ignore. (Think Hamlet and the skull of Yorick.) Thusly I believe horror is user/reader driven. (If you are not scared, is it really horror for you?) The work must also feature a menace.
Holding a otherwise unused bachelors in history, I feel compelled to inform you of the history of the horror Genre. Buckle up folks....
1) Gothic horror in the 18th century: The Castle of Otranto.
2) Horror in the 19th century: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Edgar Allan Poe.
3) How Bram Stoker changed everything in 1897.
4) Horror in the 20th century: Lovecraftian Mythos, Tod Robbins, and early cinema slashers and comic books in the 60's and 70's.
5) The Contemporary: Brian Lumley, James Herbert, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker,
Ramsey Campbell,and Peter Straub.
And... I guess I have to mention the prolific king of Horror......King.
O.K. Steve, you are leading us on a tangent, how does this apply to children's lit?
1) Gothic horror in the 18th century: The Castle of Otranto.
2) Horror in the 19th century: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Edgar Allan Poe.
3) How Bram Stoker changed everything in 1897.
4) Horror in the 20th century: Lovecraftian Mythos, Tod Robbins, and early cinema slashers and comic books in the 60's and 70's.
5) The Contemporary: Brian Lumley, James Herbert, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker,
Ramsey Campbell,and Peter Straub.
And... I guess I have to mention the prolific king of Horror......King.
O.K. Steve, you are leading us on a tangent, how does this apply to children's lit?
Changes in "adult" horror fiction are reflected in the history of "children's" horror as well. Though I admit that there are indeed notable differences in age, I believe strongly that "youth culture" and "regular culture" are not all that different. Children are humans just like everyone else, and share in the same thoughts, ideas, concepts, and fears; albeit differently from their adult counterparts.
Children's horror may sound like an oxymoron at best, and something inappropriate at worst, but I am going to argue that Children's horror is important and useful.
Children's horror may sound like an oxymoron at best, and something inappropriate at worst, but I am going to argue that Children's horror is important and useful.
Why the Future of the Dark Side of Children's Literacy is Bright.
1) Horror is a diverse and resilient genre, there are an uncountable number of variations within this style, but I will mention what I feel are some common types. Because horror is user centered, it changes to reflect the nature of the reader. Therefore, horror as a genre has went thorough considerable alterations as readers seek out new thrills and concepts to explore.
A) Supernatural vs. Non Supernatural.
B) Gothic Fiction (Romantic Gothic, Victorian Gothic, Post Victorian)
C) Macabre
D) Modern Horror
E) Horror in video games
F) Horror in film
G) Horror in the arts: (Macabre Statue in Austria)
2) Horror is popular.
Particularly with zombies, werewolfs, and vampires in the modern era, horror sells. All of the aforementioned diversity ensures that the genre will be around as long as humans fear and ponder. (Albeit in different forms.)
3) E-books, that is all.
A) Supernatural vs. Non Supernatural.
B) Gothic Fiction (Romantic Gothic, Victorian Gothic, Post Victorian)
C) Macabre
D) Modern Horror
E) Horror in video games
F) Horror in film
G) Horror in the arts: (Macabre Statue in Austria)
2) Horror is popular.
Particularly with zombies, werewolfs, and vampires in the modern era, horror sells. All of the aforementioned diversity ensures that the genre will be around as long as humans fear and ponder. (Albeit in different forms.)
3) E-books, that is all.