Stephen King, in “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, sets forth the idea of an inborn, subconscious evil that resides in all humans. He attempts to offer an explanation towards humans’ relentless craving for movies that ultimately expose the worst aspects of society. Through his use of meticulously chosen language and humorous tone, King attempts to relate and connect with readers. By using figurative language, King effectively relates his points to other aspects in life allowing his readers to feel connected to him. He compares people’s reactions to horror movies with how “ [they] may scream when [a] roller coaster twists through a complete 360 or plows through a lake at the bottom of the drop” (King 471). By utilizing a simile, King ties people’s …show more content…
He displays his notion to connect with the audience by stating that “we’re all mentally ill; those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better” (King 471). His use of the words “we” and “us” exhibit the impression that King resides among the audience: that he too falls under the very circumstances he is expressing in his writing. The sentence expresses the idea that no one person can claim they don’t fall under the umbrella cast by King in regards to humans and their state of mental sanity. By including everyone in his claim, even himself, he extends a notion of relation with readers. King provides further testament to this idea in his reasoning “if we share a brotherhood of man, then we also share an insanity of man” (King 473). Again the use of the word “we” causes the statement to apply to not only the readers but King as well. He takes his ideas of what he believes to be present within society and applies them to the whole of society rather than a certain group. Therefore, he effectively prevents the possibility of any one person becoming alienated from the audience. Though he uses the word “man” in his claim, it appears as if King aims to portray this idea towards all people. Thus it seems as if he uses the term in a way that applies not only to the male sex but rather all of mankind. This vitally puts into perspective that King, in writing this article, aims to target an audience that he himself exists in rather than alienate himself away from readers. King’s diction, therefore, pursues to convey his mutual feelings with the audience in hopes to build upon their
I have provided a clear evaluation of his essay in an organized way using the appropriate standards of evaluation. In understanding why humans “Crave Horror Movies” even when some people get nightmares after watching them we find the importance of our emotions and fears. We find those emotions and fears form a body of their own which needs to be maintained properly in order to remain healthy. We see how emotions can be controlled though viewing horror movies. Stephen King’s “Why We Crave Horror Movies” is a well written essay with convincing analogies, comparisons, and urban humor.
Even though King uses pathos through his argument he connects to the reader. He also uses evaluating points to support his debate. When a writer uses a situation you can relate to, it makes you remember the situation and be able to learn from it. Though his argument his connects with the audience through emotion. By using the situation with his sister, he painted a picture that everyone in the audience could relate to. His argument was strong and made a powerful impact on the
...usion, we find that from this essay we have a better understanding of why Stephen King believes all of us are mentally ill in some way, just maybe not to as high a degree as “Jack the ripper”. That we all enjoy the hunt either on the big screen or in a field, it’s part of our primal instincts. We see that humans crave things they are not supposed to and that’s ok as long as you are letting those emotions out in a healthy way. Stephen King has done a brilliant job of carrying out his thesis in this essay proving his theory that we are all mentally ill. We all need some way to release the dark feelings within us, we have all known this for many years, and movies seem to be the most current form of treatment. So treat yourself to a horror movie if you dare its great therapy.
He used rhetorical techniques such as allusion, irony and metaphors. These were all ways of connecting to his reasoning’s by using an element of life or something that we are well aware of. He also used different types of appeals, which were pathos, logos and ethos. Each of these appeals had drawn us into his reading in different ways to connect to our emotions and the most affective was the common logic he brought and his credibility of being a well-experienced person in horror. Common logic is the best way to catch your readers attention because if they understand what you are proclaiming then they can grasp onto your argument. For Why We Crave Horror Movies, King gave both visible common logic and hidden. The hidden had to do with the psychological reasons to why we desire horror movies and how it can release our hidden, evil emotions that we normally keep inside of us. Also, it relieves us of stress to not be in the real world even if it is just for an hour or more. These hidden logic is more of a realization for the readers and come into sense these are the reasons why we truly do crave horror
horror movies, King argues that “we are all mentally ill” (345). He expresses that we all
It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us.” Suggestive of the notion that we need horror movies to stay on sane level of the playing field. I believe that this is a far-fetched idea to why we enjoy the blood filled manic movies. I am sure there are those circumstantial people who truly do watch them for pure pleasure and liking, but we can’t take this into account because there will always be circumstantial evidence. As humans, we are naturally curious and we all carry the desire to see what were not supposed to see. We credit most of life’s greatest discoveries on the fact that we are curious, rapidly moving into an era of new findings. For instance, your first reaction when driving by a major car accident is to look, we have the innate tendency to catch a glimpse of the world no one wants to really experience. We know that when we look, odds are were not going to witness a unicorn jumping over a rainbow, but the possibility of seeing a horrific accident or even a mangled
Overall, in Stephen King’s essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, his suggestion that we view horror movies to “reestablish our feelings of essential normality” (562) and there is a “potential lyncher in almost all of us” (562) has brought forth many aspects that I have never really thought about. Why do we have so much excitement when it comes to horror films? Everyone has their own opinion, which will never end with one definite answer. Stephen King thinks there’s and evil in all of us, but I don’t think so. The evil only comes out if you make it, we do not need horror films for psychic
People are addicted to the synthetic feeling of being terrified. Modern day horror films are very different from the first horror films which date back to the late nineteenth century, but the goal of shocking the audience is still the same. Over the course of its existence, the horror industry has had to innovate new ways to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats. Horror films are frightening films created solely to ignite anxiety and panic within the viewers. Dread and alarm summon deep fears by captivating the audience with a shocking, terrifying, and unpredictable finale that leaves the viewer stunned.
In his essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies” King attempts to bring understanding to the phenomenon of the horror film genre. He states “sanity becomes a matter of degree” eluding to the theory that sanity is relative and that all humans are relatively insane. Jack the Ripper and the Cleveland Torso Murderer were the examples of humans on one extreme of the spectrum of sanity; saints represent the other safe end of the sanity spectrum. He illustrates the thought that in order for human kind to stay functionally sane there needs to be some sort of outlet for our violent “mad” thoughts. In King’s view horror movies provide a stable outlet and mental relief for innate madness. King argues that his insanity/ant civilization emotions are ingrained
For instance the claim that is not to be agreed with in King’s essay is the one where he declares “The fun comes from seeing others menaced - sometimes killed” (2). King has the mindset that the reason we find horror movies entertaining is because of the torture the characters go through. This opinion of his is completely unacceptable because even though we all have our bad side, the satisfaction isn’t from seeing the people playing the roles die; but from the movie as a whole that is filled with feelings of suspense, curiosity, fear, excitement and so many more
The genre of horror when associated to film, it reflects on a vast variety of issues but when examined for the cultural significance it is narrower to what the aim is. This review surveys multiple scholarly sources from different aspects of the purpose of horror films. This literature review justifies that horror is derived from the fear and guilt within our psychological minds. I will argue that the cultural significance of this genre relates back to the emotional appeals that are conjured up when viewing these films.
King used an appeal to pathos, in order to persuade his viewers to aid in the quest for equality. By using the power of human emotion, King established the connection needed to ...
I don’t disagree with King in his opinion at all, but I feel that maybe this was a bit of a simple answer to a very loaded question. I mean can we really say this about all horror fans? Horror fans have all kinds of different occupations, personalities, and backgrounds so obviously this theory can’t apply to everyone, so in this case, I can only really say why I watch horror movies, and ask you to do some kind of self reflection on your own.
He convinces the audience that we all inherit these mad thoughts, whether it is talking to ourselves to murdering our enemies in reality through jokes and illusions. King attracts us by stating that “the potential lyncher is in almost all of us and every now and then.” He includes reasons why we continue to dare the nightmare and initiate our sense of being normal. His arguments portray normal people that think are not mentally ill, are. Demonstrating the choices, we make independently like buying that ticket and sitting down to watch the gore before our eyes, proves that our insanity gets the best of us and must feed our negative thoughts. Proving people’s odd decisions, he states, “When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth-row center in a theatre showing a horror movie, we are daring the nightmare.” When explaining our mental health, he informs how we release our madness through bloody horror films.
In the essay “Why We Crave Horror Movie,” Stephen King describes that horror movies are beneficial for the people because we are all mentally ill. King explains that horror movie is a sort of release because everyone has a dark side in our body, so watching horror movie can keep the hungry alligators under control. People watch horror movie because they want to prove themselves that they are not afraid of a horror movie, and they are normal people too. King describes horror movie like a roller coaster, so people have enough courage to sit through the whole ride. People also enjoy seeing other people in danger. A horror movie can also keep the dark emotion down such as violence and aggression, and it allows people to remain happy and sane. A horror movie can