Master's Reading and Writing, Reading Quiz 2

 

            In the early 1980s, Stephen King, a famous American novelist who is considered “the master of horror” by many, penned an essay titled Why We Crave Horror Movies.  In this writing, he was trying to explain people’s attraction to a genre that in many ways has become synonymous with his name.  Of course, I would assume that Stephen King must understand why people crave horror films so much considering his books, as well as the countless film adaptations made about them, have generated hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, dollars. 

            Stephen King suggests first of all that we enjoy horror films because of the thrill of them.  He compares it to a roller coaster with 360 degree loops.  We watch these things to say we did it.  To challenge ourselves and to show that we are able to handle what we see in them.  I can’t disagree with that.  Humans by nature like to show that we can handle what otherwise would seem impossible.  It’s why we enjoy risk-taking sports, such as skydiving or bungee jumping.  There is something exhilarating to showing that I did something that looks so dangerous.  Perhaps that is the same emotion one feels after watching a really gory horror film.  The fact that I could sit for 90 minutes to 2 hours watching that shows how strong I am, and that makes people feel good about themselves. 

            And then Stephen King mentions that horror movies are fun.  But, then he suggests that it is a peculiar kind of fun.  And Stephen King believes this fun comes from a repressed desire for bad things that exist in all of us.  These desires are repressed by society because we receive remonstrance for doing bad things.  He says if you slam your “rotten puke” of a sister’s hand in a door, you are punished by your elders.  However, when you do something nice for her, you get chocolate covered graham crackers.  So, in other words, the bad desires never go away, but we learn not to show it because being nice is more acceptable.

            That repressed insane side of us needs to come out from time to time and to run wild.  Horror movies, especially aggressive ones, give us an opportunity to let that craziness come out.  He says we have alligators living in the subterranean section of our minds that need to be fed meat.  Horror movies are the meat for these alligators, which are really just a metaphor for our darkest impulses.  He says the Beatles said “All You Need is Love,” and he agrees with that.  As long as the gators are fed. 

            But, is King right?  Well, I think to some degree.  I think there is truth that there is a darkness in all of us, but I am not sure if horror films help that dark side.  I do think that there are people who enjoy these films because it is entertainment and they realize it is fiction.  But, I am sure there are people who enjoy watching human suffering who find this entertaining as well.  Maybe, they think it is fun to watch people die in horrible ways.  But, for me, I think it is harmless fun.  Maybe it feeds my dark side, but I just find the stories interesting, and I realize it is fiction.

Questions:

1.       What are the reasons that Stephen King believes we crave horror movies?

  The author of this essay, Mr. Nate, added an additional reason.  What was that?

What is your viewpoint on both King’s and Nate’s analysis of this topic?  Do you think their reasons are valid, or are their things they are leaving out?