Psychological_Delight_of_Horror_Fiction

Exactly why and how the horror genre has appealed to such broad audiences, for such an extended period of time as it is, has long been the focus of much debate and speculation within the literary realm. Why we, as readers, seek out fear-inducing works of literature and derive satisfaction from the experience of being afraid is a question with no conclusive- or, at least no singular- answer, as yet. Scholars have formulated innumerable hypotheses in response to this seemingly psychologically backward propensity to go in search of a state of terror. An extensive body of literature in the field indicates that the most likely explanation for our cross-cultural love affair with this literary genre is rooted in a rudimentary aversion to the mundane; a distaste for the boredom that comes on the heels of day-to-day routine. Horror literature provides nothing less than an escape from the everyday. We are attracted to the thrill of the adrenaline rush that accompanies a particularly terrifying plot for the same reason we might feel compelled to board a roller coaster. Just as our heart races as we internally urge our favourite baseball player around the bases toward home plate after slamming a ball into the outfield, so does it race as we mentally mount the stairs alongside a protagonist outrunning a serial killer in a favourite horror novel. It is the very fact that this adrenal response to the genre is accompanied by a fundamental element of safety that makes it so attractive to readers. In the pages of a terrifying story, a reader finds herself engaged in the thrill of the chase, the shock of a gruesome kill, or in a limbo-like state of suspense, without the element of true danger that would accompany these situations in real life. Through horror fiction, the reader is afforded a degree of excitement and pulse-elevation sufficient to decimate boredom, all the while, maintaining the knowledge that she can put the book down at any time, should fear overwhelm her, and she will be safe. Attraction to the terror response is, arguably, innate in a number of ways. This attraction is not culturally specific, as horror has proven itself a popular genre across cultures, for a considerable period of time, in the context of fiction as a genre. This cross-cultural attraction is evident in the fact that many English language horror authors have been published in numerous languages, in many cases, posthumously. The works of H.P. Lovecraft, for example, were published in a multitude of European languages after becoming public domain, following the end of an extended 70-year period of copyright protection (Houellebecq, 2005). Horror fiction has, inarguably, developed immensely throughout the years, yet readers still appreciate and study the wonderful works of H.P Lovecraft. His influence has contributed to the basic formula and passion underlying contemporary horror literature. His plot lines, and those of his co-authors, both past and present (e.g. Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, etc.) echo those most commonly utilized in horror literature across nations; a fact which speaks to a basic human attraction to the experience of exposing oneself to a psychological state of terror. Buffy Berthiaume (2005) discusses the genre in a cross-cultural context. She explains that the Japanese horror genre blends a heavy atmosphere and a sense of foreboding within a seemingly ordinary setting to produce a psychologically unnerving response of apprehension. The westernized horror, however, is commonly linked with blood and gore brought on by a crazed killer, something that initially contributed to its widespread success as a genre but recently has been outdated. While the two styles differ on many levels, the commonalities are irrefutable, at least from a Western standpoint. Due to the difference in morals between the Japanese and the American cultures, many adaptations are made in order that the Japanese horror plotline might appeal to American audiences. The basic premise of the storyline is, however, largely kept intact. Cross-culturally, titles of long-standing popularity, such as “Dracula,” “Frankenstein” and “Night of the Living Dead” are adapted again and again for new generations of readers. Further evidence supporting this basic attraction to fear-inducing plotlines lies in the enduring nature of the popularity of the genre. “Horror is not just a movie phenomenon – there are ghost stories and fairy tales that are scary and have been around for hundreds of years. In many cultures, actually, European folktales were key to a lot of horror [plots],” said Jonathan Kuntz, a professor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. “There might be certain elements (that) horrify and preoccupy some cultures in different ways than other cultures, but there are also horror [plots] that cross boundaries and can be scary anywhere. They can become popular anywhere”, he argues. Similarities in thematic elements of horror across cultures, combined with the endurance of the genre as a major segment of popular literature, are two prominent themes in a vast body of research supporting the intrinsic human attraction to the state of psychological terror, which, biologically speaking, appears maladaptive. Specific personality types are, by nature, attracted to the psychological and physiological experience commonly referred to as the “adrenaline rush”. There is a biological explanation for why people are attracted to fear, as is evident in the conclusions of countless studies in the field of Psychology. Why does an elevated heart rate and adrenaline rush appeal' So many people, it seems, are mesmerized with terrifying themselves, figuratively speaking, ‘out of their minds’, ‭ ‬and will pursue true fear in, seemingly, any manner conceivable. Human beings innately seek out psychological and physiological stimulation, which can come in a variety of forms. ‬One of the most well known ways that humans are able to find stimulation is through exciting their nervous system. ‭ ‬The intensity of the adrenaline rush experience in a moment of pure terror may be impossible to find elsewhere. Through this adrenaline rush one is able to release pent up tension in much the same manner as is done through exercise. Those personalities high in sensation seeking, empathy, and attraction to states of psychosis constitute the significant portion of the horror literature fan base in the world, according to literary theorists of the genre. The typical horror genre enthusiast’s personality type can be “defined by the need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and experiences and the willingness to take physical and social risks for the sake of such experiences.” (Zuckerman, Sensation Seeking 10). By taking risks one portrays the “like for fright”, which is becoming an increasingly popular trend in society today, especially amongst adolescents. As shown by the research by Oliver and Sanders, many horror fans enjoy the thrill of fear because it is a form of social bonding through the communication of fears between people. Through an interaction with the horror text, the reader is not only releasing tension, but also connecting with their innermost, suppressed urges- those frowned on upon by society. This allows a controlled and appropriate outlet; a much-needed release, that many argue is necessary in order to maintain sane in society today. A specific subset of people- specifically, those who read horror- crave the uncontrolled emotions evoked by the horror genre in order to stimulate in themselves an adrenaline rush that is controllable due to the safety of it being unreal. According to Shaw: On a biological level, one could also address the paradox of horror in respectful terms, recognizing that fear is painful but the exhilaration generated by the adrenaline rush which follows in its wake is pleasurable if escape is successful. But any satisfying account of the reasons why so many of us love horror fictions has got to recognize that our primary source of pleasure *is* the monster, or horrific human, which we relate to in a profoundly ambivalent fashion. Connection between the reader and the horror fiction enables the reader to be more engaged in the text lending to the possibility of escaping by the strong immersion granted. Readers are attracted to the horror genre because it is sufficiently removed from the subject matter of everyday life to represent a psychological form of escape. While one could argue that horror produces psychological stress, the element of safety intrinsic to the format of delivery (e.g. a novel) guarantees the safety of the reader. Horrifying plotlines initially catch the readers attention by building tension and demanding reverence, all the while, a sense of safety if still maintained by the mode of delivery (the nature of a book). While Heller (1987), argues that, “terror creates the desire, the need for escape, for disengagement from fiction.”, the vast majority of literary theorists argue that terror itself essentially provides the means of escape and disengagement. Escape represents, perhaps, the greatest appeal of horror fiction by allowing the reader to step beyond the confines of dull, monotonous, routine daily life through the occurrence of supernatural events and introduction to unbelievable characters in an alternate realm. “Horror stories almost always begin with movement from the safe and familiar world of the present to a ‘sublime,’ archaic, and terrifying landscape, a setting for dreamlike fears that are then given form.” (Tropp 180). This allows the reader to experience their fears vicariously, through an engrossing, and yet and safe experience not unlike a nightmare. Horror fiction simulates situations and places that we most greatly fear, all the while, delicately balancing them with the safety of remoteness and an ability to control the influx of fear (e.g. put the book down), that we are not afforded where nightmares are concerned. In circumstances where daily life is proving stressful, or anxiety-inducting, the tale of terror may just be the appropriate outlet for the reader to release these tensions. Such a reaction was witnessed amongst soldiers in the Great War (World War II). “By giving the soldiers who had lived vicariously with fear in the tale of terror something to use to make an otherwise lunatic landscape comprehensible, the patter of horror provided a way, paradoxically, to remain sane.” (Tropp 217). Horror fiction is a controlled and safe way to cure the dullness of everyday life due to its ability in arousing the reader through the use of fear. Emotional experiences trigger senses allowing horror fans encounter rushes of adrenaline addicting them to the need of being terrified. The addiction some of us have to terror is no less than a cathartic effect, which intends to make us feel uncomfortable and frightened. We take pleasure in this purge of disapproving emotions because to allocates the reader to both escape from the realities of our daily lives and to deal with our issues vicariously in safe and protective environments. Without these safe and protective environments, many people succumb to repressing their dark impulses and ideas that can, without a proper outlet, end up bringing harm to themselves. Horror literature firstly attracts our attention by building anxiety, showing significance, and creating safety through unrealism. The type of horror chosen is depends on the reader, whether it is through the popular Stephen King, with evil invading normal life, or that of H.P Lovecraft, with the detachment of realism, to exhibit the certain terror need to satisfy the reader. Works Cited Berthiaume, Buffy. “From Japanese Haunting to Americanized Horror: The Transformation and Acculturation of a Foreign Genre of Film.” The Best of Junior Year Writing; Volume 1. Amherst: Comparative Literature Program, 2005. Feb 2, 2010 . Heller, Terry. The Delights of Terror. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987. Houellebecq, Michel. An English translation of Michel Houellebecq's H. P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life. Believer Books, 2005 Mak, Shirley. “Horror films feed off of universal fears.” The Daily Bruin 22 October 2009. 2 February 2010 http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/2009/10/22/horror-films-feed-universal-fears/. Martin, Tropp. Images of Fear; How Horror Stories Helped Shape Modern Culture (1818-1918). Jefferson: McFarland & Company, 1990. Oliver, Mary. Sanders, Meghan. “The Appeal of Horror and Suspense.” Horror film. Piscataway: Rutgers, 2004. 2 February 2010 http://books.google.com/books'hl=en&lr=&id=S6jKVfuQG3wC&oi=fnd&pg=PA242&dq=personality+of+a+horror+fan&ots=rIowVtc3wy&sig=EaGlC4LR8S5JEJxwZ1ZbhFYbZBE#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Shaw, Daniel. “A Humean Definition of Horror.” Film-Philosophy Volume 1.Issue 4. (August 1997): 2 February 2010 http://www.film-philosophy.com/vol1-1997/n4shaw.htm