Must Read Horror Short Stories: How Do They Create Fear?

Horror stories create fear mainly by playing on our primal fears. Things like the dark, the unknown, and death are common elements in horror. They tap into our subconscious and bring out those deep - seated fears. For instance, a story set in a pitch - black forest at night where the protagonist can't see what's lurking around them is terrifying. Additionally, unexpected twists and turns can create fear. Just when the reader thinks the character is safe, something horrible happens, like a sudden appearance of a ghost or a serial killer. Sound is also important in horror stories, whether it's the creaking of a door or a blood - curdling scream, it adds to the overall sense of fear.

Horror series and stories often use the unknown to create fear. For example, in a lot of horror stories, there are mysterious noises in the dark. We don't know what's making those noises, and that scares us. In horror series like 'The Haunting of Hill House', the old, creaky house is full of secrets that we gradually discover, but the anticipation of what we might find next is what keeps us on edge.

By making the threat seem real. If the horror story is set in a normal, everyday place like a suburban neighborhood, it makes it more relatable. And when the danger starts to unfold there, it's scarier. Also, they use jump scares. A sudden loud noise or a quick appearance of something terrifying can startle the audience. And the use of atmosphere is crucial. A dark, dank, and silent setting can make you feel on edge even before anything really bad happens.

The archetypes in horror stories are masterful at creating fear. The possessed character archetype, for instance, scares us because it shows a loss of control. We are afraid of not being in control of our own bodies or minds. The dark forest archetype plays on our ancestral fear of the wilderness, a place where danger could be lurking everywhere. The vengeful spirit archetype creates fear as it implies that past wrongs can come back to haunt us, and there's no escaping the consequences of our actions.

Well, horror magazine stories create fear in multiple ways. First, they play on our primal fears such as the fear of death, the dark, and the unknown. They might describe a character's slow and agonizing death in a very detailed way. Second, they use atmosphere. A desolate and gloomy forest setting, with the wind howling and branches creaking, can send shivers down the reader's spine. And third, they can create a sense of helplessness in the characters, which makes the readers feel more afraid as they can put themselves in the characters' shoes.

Traditional horror stories create fear by using suspense. They build up tension, making the reader or viewer wonder what will happen next. For example, a character hears a strange noise but doesn't know what it is.

Monster horror stories create fear through their ability to tap into our subconscious. We have inbuilt fears of the abnormal and the dangerous. When a story presents a monster that is not like any normal animal or human, it triggers that fear. For example, the shape - shifting monsters in 'The Thing' are terrifying because they can be anyone or anything. Also, the settings in monster horror stories play a role. A haunted house, like in 'The Amityville Horror', is a classic. It's a place where we expect safety, but when it's filled with a malevolent monster, it shatters that expectation and creates fear. The way the stories build suspense also adds to the fear. They might start with small, strange occurrences that gradually lead to the full revelation of the monster, keeping the audience on edge all the way.

They often use elements like the supernatural. When there are ghosts or monsters, it scares us because it's something beyond our normal understanding.

Symbols in horror stories create fear in multiple ways. Let's take the symbol of the haunted house. It's a place that's supposed to be a home, a place of safety, but when it's haunted, it subverts that expectation. The dilapidated walls, broken windows, and creaking floors all contribute to the feeling of dread. Another symbol, the disembodied voice, is also very effective. We rely on our sense of hearing to detect danger in the real world, and a voice with no visible source is deeply unsettling. And then there are symbols like the pentagram, which are associated with dark magic and the unknown, and that mystery and potential for malevolence is what scares us.

Tropes create fear by playing on our existing fears and expectations. For example, the haunted house trope taps into our fear of the unknown and the spooky. We know that old, empty houses are often associated with ghosts and bad things in our cultural consciousness. So when we see this trope in a horror story, it immediately sets off that sense of unease.