1. Genre Theory
And the roots of Horror

2. Fiction Genre Evolves over History
1. Prose
2. Novel
3. Romance
Gothic (Terror)
*Horror
(Slasher, Psychological,scifi, fantasy)

3. Prose vs. Poetry Define- Non- rhyme Poetry has a longer history
Ex. Epic of Gilgamesh
Link to human’s oral tradition.
Unclear ideas of fiction/ non-fiction.

4. Novel Fiction Represents characters and life with realism
Considerable length and complexity
Often sequential
Formerly Italian “Novella” or new idea (1375)

5. Romanticism vs. Classicism
Name given to the Greeks by Renaissance thinkers in the 14th century. Both Renaissance and Greek in general valued balance and order.

7. Romanticism Not ‘love’ but all strong emotions
Valued imagination over reason
True beauty is expression and emotion rather than perfection
Grotesque can be beautiful
Eg. Jane Eyre’s love (romance) vs. Taliban in Shakespeare (pre romance)

8. Gothic Motifs: Mysterious. Madness Darkness Decay Doubles.
English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto.
Motifs:
Mysterious. Madness
Darkness Decay Doubles.
Torture, Truth and Terror.
Hereditary Curses. Haunted Houses.

9. Gothic: Architecture Echoes Medieval

10. Horror vs. terror
Terror is a main characteristic of Gothic literature.
It refers to awaiting fear– Suspense, Anxiety, Anticipation, Dread.
Poe’s “The Raven” is a classic example of Terror
Horror includes terror but it also has revulsion and disgust.
It includes the moment of revulsion after the fear or frightening moment is fully realized and understood.

11. Genre… It’s Complicated
Essential ideas stay the same (ie. Revulsion in horror)
Specific motifs will change…
with different authors
over time
Overlap with a different genre.

12. Music: Rock and Roll Time: 1960 vs. 1970
Elvis
Hendrix

13. Music Genre: Same time different sub-Genre
Hendrix (blues)
Mommas and Poppas (folk)

14. Horror Overlaps with other Genres
Science fiction (Alien)
Slasher (Scream)
Psychological (The Shining)
Fantasy (Drag me to Hell)

15. Motifs of Horror
Horror is a current genre and is changing as we write it.
We must create our own set of motifs based on the examples.
This is what literary critics have been doing!

16. Horror Examples “Box Social” Misery “The Medicine” “No Mercy”
“Twelve Roses”
“The Brass Tea Pot”

17. Generating Genre Sheet Summary
Observations regarding Characters
Observations regarding narrator/ irony/ figurative language
Observations regarding media promotions (posters/ covers/ symbols/ camera angels/ sound)
Observations regarding Themes and motifs
*** What are 5 things they all share***