Free Essay

Steven King "Why We Crave Horror Movies"

In:

Submitted By ahullman77
Words 714
Pages 3
ITT tECHNICAL INSTITUTE | Why we crave horror movies | A Steven King article | | Angela Hullman | 7/17/2015 |

In this essay we focus on evaluating the article by Steven King to address the five elements of rhetorical situations. |

Stephen King, the famous author of horror genre, discusses his views on why people crave horror movies. King has written many horror novels, some even have been adapted into films or television shorts’. First King examines what he considers to be the basic reasons behind our interests in horror movies, and then he analyzes deeper to develop reasons as to why horror films are so captivating. King first explores the obvious reasons stating “to show that we can, that we are not afraid, and that we can ride this roller coaster”. He suggests that horror films are much like roller coasters, in the way that they keep us guessing what will be next and make us scream at various parts in the ride. On the surface level, he states that we all watch horror movies for fun. He suggests that we watch for the adrenaline, the dare and to see how far it can push us, and that is what makes the horror genre experience so fun. King then delves into the less obvious reasons, the deeper reasons that many people may not quite be aware of consciously. He argues that horror movies will take away the “shades of grey” in life, and invites the viewers to revert back to a childish mindset, when you were able to see the world in black and white. He argues that this invitation provides psychological relief for the viewer, allowing one to revert to a mindset of “simplicity, irrationality, and even outright madness”. This is not the only psychological relief that the horror genre “world” allows us, however. King makes the point that even as children, we are praised for expressing appropriate emotions, and punished for the bad. While this may lead to more politically correct behaviors as we grow, it also will hold the bad emotions back temporarily. The ability to partake in viewing horror films allows us to be expressive with the “bad” emotions in a safe, fun way. King comes to a conclusion that because the horrors in the films appeal to the evil in all people we feel the need to partake in the viewing. He also suggests that by watching the films, we help to reserve the bad emotions and instincts, and allow the politically correct “good” emotions to remain on the surface. It allows us, as normal human beings, to reserve our sanity and stay in a happier, peaceful state of mind. In conclusion, while there are the basic and obvious reasons for wanting to watch horror films and shorts, such as to have fun and enjoy the adrenaline rush, there is also deeper more carnal, psychologically-based reasoning; they allow us to escape our everyday lives and be expressive with our basic “bad” emotion, that are extremely essential to our mental health. As an adrenaline junkie and horror movie fanatic, I agree with Steven King’s analysis of our natural urge to view horror films. The horror genre allows you, the viewer, to enter a stage of complete vulnerability. You are granted to rights to be scared and a little bit mentally violent, yet still remain safe and completely in control of you mental state. The horror genre allows us to express emotions that we would otherwise be too cautious or shamed for acknowledging. Horror films keep us “sane” and “normal” by allowing everyone to express basic human emotions. Keeping the “bad” emotions bottled up and never being able to express them can become potentially dangerous to one’s self and to others. There are many ways to partake in the horror genre without only watching films, many great novels are also available. Novels will also let the reader take their own path of destruction. Although some may find themselves completely sane regaurdless of exposure to the horror scene, it is an outlet of relief for others; if the relief were to be denied, it is a possibility that emotions can build up and lead to a unhealthy release instead.

References
King, S. (1981). Why we crave horror movies. Playboy/ Writing today, 641-642.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

En1320 Lab3

...En1320 Lab3 “Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Steven King presents an intriguing philosophy of watching horror movies. I believe that the purpose behind this article is to appeal to the reader’s unrealized dark side. King implies that are able to overcome their hysterical fear of things when they’re confronted with it and watching a horror movie is the easiest way to do that. He explains that in some way we all have this courage to overcome our deepest fears and one of the ways we show it is placing ourselves, in this case a movie theater, directly in front of what we know will scare us. The intended audience for this article is most likely the younger age demographic. Horror Movies are especially popular with ages 15-35. When you are younger you have this need to seek out new experience and thrills. Throughout the essay King directs a message to the young by making a comparison of horror movies to roller coasters describing the excitement that is felt throughout the ride. King is trying to persuade his reading audience to watch horror movies that bring his popularity up because he has books that have been made into movies. Although persuasive, King's article does not have factual evidence to solidify his argument that we all crave horror movies. The article uses many rhetorical strategies such as: compare and contrast, analysis and evaluation, cause and effect, absolutes, generalizations, and assumptions. King's ability to use these strategies demonstrates why he is one of...

Words: 373 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Horror Movies

...Horror Movie Haven When watching a horror movie one can escape their everyday life, and even go as far as to imagine themselves as the hero of the film. But that also means that one can imagine themselves as the antagonist of the film. “Why We Crave Horror Movies” is an article in which the author, Stephen King states his position on horror films. Stephen King points out that while some individuals watch horror movies because they are entertaining, horror movies may also be used to help suppress one’s psychopathic tendencies by feeding their craving for real murder. I agree with Stephen King one hundred percent. Not only are horror movies the most entertaining type of films to watch, but society can also use horror films as a therapeutic tool to help suppress their homicidal feelings. In the second paragraph of the article Steven King states “When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth-row center in a theater showing a horror movie, we are daring the nightmare” (Par. 2). Daring the nightmare to me is only looking for an entertaining situation that I am not normally accustomed to, whether it’s a thrill or just plain terrifying. Horror movies are by far the most entertaining types of films to watch. Whether it’s Children of the Corn or the Blair Witch Project I am always ready to watch a good horror movie because they always leave me satisfied. The suspense, the gore, and the various types of villains in these movies are all reasons why horror movies entertain...

Words: 636 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Hi Their

...Sean Garza Journal 3-1 Ok so for my first topic of these journals I would like to talk about an article by Steven King called “why we crave horror movies”. I thought this article was interesting because Steven King kind of shows the reader that we are all mentally insane at some level. But how this ties to are class is totally different, king talks about how society in general is really against horror movies and what they do to the audience. I think that this makes perfect sense because most people in our society will never see murder or the scary things that horror movies offer us and to see them like we can it’s kind of a shock and I think that is why most people get a sense of fear from them, because it challenges the way our society runs and is. I also noticed that King point out that little things such as talking to yourself or doing non socially acceptable behaviors is a mental illness. So it got me to wondering I mean who doesn’t talk to themselves? And if we are all mentally insane at some levels how much will it take to push us over the edge like some people. King also says that watching horror movies can ease people’s emotions or live out mentally ill fantasies. So what I am really trying to say in this entry is we are all at some level mentally ill and most of us live out are lives in a pretty socially acceptable matter so what can cause one to deviate from such a...

Words: 274 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Rage Exceptable or Not

...of trouble. Yet don’t we all get this unhuman sense of rage that has to be released? In some form or has society deemed it ok as long as it is controlled. In Steven Kings article “ Why we Crave Horror Movie” he claims “We are all mentally ill.(559) Whereas in Gerard Jones article “Violent Media is Good for Us” he argues that he was taught that “Rage was something to be overcome and cooperation was always better than conflict”. (1\5) “Yet he suffocated his deepest fears and desires under a nice-boy persona.” Until he’s introduced to Marvel Comics and the Incredible Hulk. Yes, we have become a society that seeks out violence. It has become a part of our everyday life. So has the seeking out of violence become something more, something that should make us question ourselves? Is there really a self-gratification in what we see? Does it really calm the savage beast we have hidden in our mind? In the case of Steven King he points out that “It’s like lifting a trapdoor in the civilized forebrain and throwing raw meat to the alligators below (in the river) because it keeps them fed and down in the river.” (561) Yet in Jones research he use Melanie Moore, Ph.D., a psychologist that works with urban teens saying that “ Fear, greed, power-hunger, rage: these are aspects of ourselves that we try not to experience in our own lives but often want, even need, to experience vicariously through stories of others.” (2) While I myself like scary movies. It makes me wonder...

Words: 619 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Horror Films

...A Scary Addiction Since the early beginnings of modern film, horror movies have been a very popular genre in societies all around the world. Despite the fact that these types of films have caused many people countless sleepless nights, millions of people wait in line every weekend and pay to see and enjoy the newest horror movie. The immortal popularity of horror movies may be contributed to the fact that they cause their viewers excitation, pleasure and a set of feelings that are uncontrollable and at the same time enjoyable for horror movie fans. Some people enjoy voluntarily anguish, fear and suffering as long as it is not actually happening to them so when they watch these kinds of movies even when they mostly know what to expect during the film, the amount of suspense of how cruel and crude each scene could be, heightens the viewer’s feelings of fear and anxiety, and for many of us the more bloody and terrifying the movie is what makes it so exciting. Stephen King establishes in his writings that “we are all mentally ill.” I think that what they like is the feeling that they can experience strong emotions and fear with the certainty that no harm will come to them because it is the character in the movie that is facing the danger. Also, with this kind of film, they can let their imagination run free and put themselves in the place of the actors to look for a way to escape or trying to find some solutions so they harm will not come to them and in some situations...

Words: 904 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Apa Format

...Running head: FULL TITLE 1 Full Title Author’s Name Name of the University This paper demonstrates how to format a traditional APA-style essay. It includes information on spacing, font, font size, PowerPoints, and paraphrasing, as well as specific reference types. For more information, please visit the following CWE links: https://sites.google.com/a/wgu.edu/cwe/apa http://community.wgu.edu/clearspacex/thread/5 7733?tstart=0 TITLE (50 Characters or Less) 2 Table of Contents 1. General Format ................................................................................................................. 3 2. In-Text Citations: The Basics ........................................................................................... 3 3. In-Text Citations: Quoting and Paraphrasing ................................................................. 3 4. Paraphrasing from a Single Source .................................................................................. 4 5. Paraphrasing from Multiple Sources ............................................................................... 5 6. Block Quotes ..................................................................................................................... 5 7. Multiple Sources from one Author – Same Year ............................................................. 6 8. Personal Pronouns ............................................................................................................ 6 9. Annotated Bibliographies...

Words: 2647 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Habit

...ii 10/17/11 12:01 PM HABIT W h y We D o W h a t We D o and How to Change It THE POWER OF CHARLES DUHIGG Random House e N e w Yo r k Duhi_9781400069286_2p_all_r1.j.indd iii 10/17/11 12:01 PM This is a work of nonfiction. Nonetheless, some names and personal characteristics of individuals or events have been changed in order to disguise identities. Any resulting resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and unintentional. Copyright © 2012 by Charles Duhigg All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4000-6928-6 eBook ISBN 978-0-679-60385-6 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper Illustrations by Anton Ioukhnovets www.atrandom.com 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 First Edition Book design by Liz Cosgrove Duhi_9781400069286_2p_all_r1.j.indd iv 10/17/11 12:01 PM To Oliver, John Harry, John and Doris, and, everlastingly, to Liz Duhi_9781400069286_2p_all_r1.j.indd v 10/17/11 12:01 PM Duhi_9781400069286_2p_all_r1.j.indd vi 10/17/11 12:01 PM CONTENTS PROLOGUE The Habit Cure GGG xi PA R T O N E The Habits of Individuals 1. THE HABIT LOOP How Habits Work 3 31 60 2. THE CRAVING BRAIN How to Create New Habits 3. THE GOLDEN RULE OF HABIT CHANGE Why Transformation Occurs GGG PA R T T...

Words: 124310 - Pages: 498

Free Essay

Made to Stick

...This book has been optimized for viewing at a monitor setting of 1024 x 768 pixels. MADE TO STICK random house a new york MADE TO STICK Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die • • • C H I P H E AT H & D A N H E AT H Copyright © 2007 by Chip Heath and Dan Heath All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Random House and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Heath, Chip. Made to stick : why some ideas survive and others die / Chip Heath & Dan Heath p. cm. Includes index. eISBN: 978-1-58836-596-5 1. Social psychology. 2. Contagion (Social psychology). 3. Context effects (Psychology). I. Heath, Dan. II. Title. HM1033.H43 2007 302'.13—dc22 2006046467 www.atrandom.com Designed by Stephanie Huntwork v1.0 To Dad, for driving an old tan Chevette while putting us through college. To Mom, for making us breakfast every day for eighteen years. Each. C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION WHAT STICKS? 3 Kidney heist. Movie popcorn. Sticky = understandable, memorable, and effective in changing thought or behavior. Halloween candy. Six principles: SUCCESs. The villain: Curse of Knowledge. It’s hard to be a tapper. Creativity starts with templates. CHAPTER 1 SIMPLE 25 Commander’s Intent. THE low-fare airline. Burying the lead and the inverted pyramid. It’s the...

Words: 91454 - Pages: 366

Free Essay

Business

...LOWNDES New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Copyright © 2009 by Leil Lowndes. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-07-154586-0 MHID: 0-07-154586-7 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-0-07-154585-3, MHID: 0-07-154585-9. All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps. McGraw-Hill eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate training programs. To contact a representative please visit the Contact Us page at www.mhprofessional.com. TERMS OF USE This is a copyrighted work and The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“McGraw-Hill”) and its licensors reserve all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of...

Words: 63714 - Pages: 255

Premium Essay

Business

...C h a p t e r 1 Prewriting GETTING STARTED (OR SOUP-CAN LABELS CAN BE FASCINATING) For many writers, getting started is the hardest part. You may have noticed that when it is time to begin a writing assignment, you suddenly develop an enormous desire to straighten your books, water your plants, or sharpen your pencils for the fifth time. If this situation sounds familiar, you may find it reassuring to know that many professionals undergo these same strange compulsions before they begin writing. Jean Kerr, author of Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, admits that she often finds herself in the kitchen reading soup-can labels—or anything—in order to prolong the moments before taking pen in hand. John C. Calhoun, vice president under Andrew Jackson, insisted he had to plow his fields before he could write, and Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim and other novels, is said to have cried on occasion from the sheer dread of sitting down to compose his stories. To spare you as much hand-wringing as possible, this chapter presents some practical suggestions on how to begin writing your short essay. Although all writers must find the methods that work best for them, you may find some of the following ideas helpful. But no matter how you actually begin putting words on paper, it is absolutely essential to maintain two basic ideas concerning your writing task. Before you write a single sentence, you should always remind yourself that 1. You have some valuable ideas to tell your reader,...

Words: 234754 - Pages: 940

Premium Essay

Quiet: Power of Introverts

...MORE ADVANCE NOISE FOR QUIET “An intriguing and potentially lifealtering examination of the human psyche that is sure to benefit both introverts and extroverts alike.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Gentle is powerful … Solitude is socially productive … These important counterintuitive ideas are among the many reasons to take Quiet to a quiet corner and absorb its brilliant, thought-provoking message.” —ROSABETH MOSS KANTER, professor at Harvard Business School, author of Confidence and SuperCorp “An informative, well-researched book on the power of quietness and the 3/929 virtues of having a rich inner life. It dispels the myth that you have to be extroverted to be happy and successful.” —JUDITH ORLOFF, M.D., author of Emotional Freedom “In this engaging and beautifully written book, Susan Cain makes a powerful case for the wisdom of introspection. She also warns us ably about the downside to our culture’s noisiness, including all that it risks drowning out. Above the din, Susan’s own voice remains a compelling presence—thoughtful, generous, calm, and eloquent. Quiet deserves a very large readership.” —CHRISTOPHER LANE, author of Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness 4/929 “Susan Cain’s quest to understand introversion, a beautifully wrought journey from the lab bench to the motivational speaker’s hall, offers convincing evidence for valuing substance over style, steak over sizzle, and qualities that are, in America, often derided. This book is brilliant...

Words: 118436 - Pages: 474

Premium Essay

Will Do Next Time

... but may not be reproduced in  any other form or for any other purpose without the prior written consent of The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any  network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. PREFACE Rationale We agreed to produce the instructor’s manual for the sixth edition of A First Look at Communication Theory because it’s a first-rate book and because we enjoy talking and writing about pedagogy. Yet when we recall the discussions we’ve had with colleagues about instructor’s manuals over the years, two unnerving comments stick with us: “I don’t find them much help”; and (even worse) “I never look at them.” And, if the truth be told, we were often the people making such points! With these statements in mind, we have done some serious soul-searching about the texts that so many teachers—ourselves included—frequently malign or ignore. As we have considered our quandary, we have come face-to-face with the central paradox that characterizes the genre: Teaching manuals tend to be distant, mechanical, impersonal, and lifeless, when in fact good teaching is immediate, flexible, personal, and lively. In this manual, therefore, we have attempted to communicate to fellow teachers...

Words: 159106 - Pages: 637

Premium Essay

Rgthtfhyjugkihlololigkydh

...Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Introduction Chapter 1 - Priming Chapter 2 - Confabulation Chapter 3 - Confirmation Bias Chapter 4 - Hindsight Bias Chapter 5 - The Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy Chapter 6 - Procrastination Chapter 7 - Normalcy Bias Chapter 8 - Introspection Chapter 9 - The Availability Heuristic Chapter 10 - The Bystander Effect Chapter 11 - The Dunning-Kruger Effect Chapter 12 - Apophenia Chapter 13 - Brand Loyalty Chapter 14 - The Argument from Authority Chapter 15 - The Argument from Ignorance Chapter 16 - The Straw Man Fallacy Chapter 17 - The Ad Hominem Fallacy Chapter 18 - The Just-World Fallacy Chapter 19 - The Public Goods Game Chapter 20 - The Ultimatum Game Chapter 21 - Subjective Validation Chapter 22 - Cult Indoctrination Chapter 23 - Groupthink Chapter 24 - Supernormal Releasers Chapter 25 - The Affect Heuristic Chapter 26 - Dunbar’s Number Chapter 27 - Selling Out Chapter 28 - Self-Serving Bias Chapter 29 - The Spotlight Effect Chapter 30 - The Third Person Effect Chapter 31 - Catharsis Chapter 32 - The Misinformation Effect Chapter 33 - Conformity Chapter 34 - Extinction Burst Chapter 35 - Social Loafing Chapter 36 - The Illusion of Transparency Chapter 37 - Learned Helplessness Chapter 38 - Embodied Cognition Chapter 39 - The Anchoring Effect Chapter 40 - Attention Chapter 41 - Self-Handicapping Chapter 42 - Self-Fulfilling Prophecies Chapter 43 - The Moment Chapter 44 - Consistency...

Words: 84394 - Pages: 338

Free Essay

Organization

...cover next page > title author publisher isbn10 | asin print isbn13 ebook isbn13 language subject publication date lcc ddc subject : : : : : : : : : : : cover next page > < previous page page_i next page > Page i 1100 Words You Need to Know Fourth Edition Murray Bromberg Principal Emeritus Andrew Jackson High School, Queens, New York Melvin Gordon Reading Specialist New York City Schools . . . Invest fifteen minutes a day for forty-six weeks in order to master 920 new words and almost 200 useful idioms < previous page page_i next page > < previous page page_ii next page > Page ii © Copyright 2000 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. Prior edition © Copyright 1993, 1987, 1971 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microfilm, xerography, or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner. All inquiries should be addressed to: Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 250 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788 http://www.barronseduc.com Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 00-030344 International Standard Book Number 0-7641-1365-8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bromberg, Murray. 1100 words you need to know / Murray Bromberg, Melvin Gordon. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-7641-1365-8 1. Vocabulary. I. Title: Eleven hundred words you need...

Words: 125626 - Pages: 503

Premium Essay

Tets

...Comments on FUTURE SHOCK C. P. Snow: "Remarkable ... No one ought to have the nerve to pontificate on our present worries without reading it." R. Buckminster Fuller: "Cogent ... brilliant ... I hope vast numbers will read Toffler's book." Betty Friedan: "Brilliant and true ... Should be read by anyone with the responsibility of leading or participating in movements for change in America today." Marshall McLuhan: "FUTURE SHOCK ... is 'where it's at.'" Robert Rimmer, author of The Harrad Experiment: "A magnificent job ... Must reading." John Diebold: "For those who want to understand the social and psychological implications of the technological revolution, this is an incomparable book." WALL STREET JOURNAL: "Explosive ... Brilliantly formulated." LONDON DAILY EXPRESS: "Alvin Toffler has sent something of a shock-wave through Western society." LE FIGARO: "The best study of our times that I know ... Of all the books that I have read in the last 20 years, it is by far the one that has taught me the most." THE TIMES OF INDIA: "To the elite ... who often get committed to age-old institutions or material goals alone, let Toffler's FUTURE SHOCK be a lesson and a warning." MANCHESTER GUARDIAN: "An American book that will ... reshape our thinking even more radically than Galbraith's did in the 1950s ... The book is more than a book, and it will do more than send reviewers raving ... It is a spectacular outcrop of a formidable, organized intellectual effort ... For the first time in history...

Words: 159732 - Pages: 639