Horror Genre

Notes on the Horror Genre

Narrative Conventions

The narrative conventions of the horror genre are the common storytelling devices and techniques that creators use to build a world that evokes fear, suspense, and a sense of dread. These include:

Setting: Often isolated or confined, like a haunted house, a desolate town, or an abandoned asylum. The setting often becomes a character in itself, contributing to the overall terror.

Plot: Typically involves a central threat or antagonist, which could be supernatural (ghosts, demons, monsters) or human (serial killers, psychopaths). The plot often builds from an initial incident through rising suspense and dread to a climax featuring a confrontation with the source of horror.

Pace: Horror narratives usually play with pacing, building tension slowly and then accelerating during moments of shock or surprise.

Atmosphere: This is critical in horror and is established through descriptions of the environment, use of specific language, and sensory details that contribute to a feeling of unease or fear.

Characters: There are often archetypal characters such as the final girl, the skeptic, the believer, the innocent victim, and the harbinger who warns the protagonists.

Themes: Horror stories often explore themes like the unknown, the monstrous, the supernatural, the fragility of the human body and mind, and the existence of evil.

Genre Conventions

Genre conventions are the elements that audiences expect to see in horror media; they can be considered a set of rules or tropes that are commonly used within the genre.

Monsters and Antagonists: Central to horror is the presence of a menacing entity. This could be a monster, a ghost, a creature, or a disturbed human being.

Gore and Violence: Many (but not all) horror stories feature some level of violence or gore as a method of shocking or distressing the audience.

Jump Scares: Sudden and unexpected events that are designed to startle the viewer.

Psychological Manipulation: Techniques that play with the audience’s sense of reality, creating a sense of paranoia or questioning what’s real.

Sound Design: Eerie or jarring soundtracks, including high-pitched noises, discordant music, and periods of silence followed by loud noises to create tension.

Lighting and Visuals: Low-key lighting, shadows, and fog are visual elements that add to the atmosphere.

Symbolism: Use of imagery and symbols to suggest themes and ideas without stating them outright, often to evoke fear on a deeper, sometimes subconscious level.

Audience Expectations

Audiences come to horror with certain expectations based on their familiarity with the genre conventions. They anticipate being scared, startled, or disturbed, and they look forward to the adrenaline rush that comes with that experience.

Emotional Response: Audiences expect to feel fear, suspense, and a thrilling sort of anticipation.

Surprise and Originality: Despite the familiarity with genre conventions, audiences still expect new twists, creative use of tropes, and innovative storytelling to keep them engaged.

Catharsis: Horror often provides a cathartic experience for the audience, allowing them to confront fears in a controlled environment.

Satisfying Conclusion: While not always the case, many audiences prefer a resolution that offers closure, whether it's the defeat of the monster or the survival of a character they've rooted for.

The horror genre is rich and varied, and while these conventions and expectations are common, successful horror often plays with or subverts these elements to create something fresh and compelling. Filmmakers and writers like Alfred Hitchcock, John Carpenter, and more recently, Jordan Peele, have been known to effectively use and also innovate within the genre’s conventions, keeping audiences on their toes and contributing to the evolution of horror.