1. Lesson 5: Writing an opening scene: the Gothic/Horror Genre
9/18/2017

2. Learning Objective
To create an opening scene to a Gothic/Horror story, establishing setting, tone, and mood. 2

3. Words to describe Gothic Settings
Unnaturally still and quiet
Unusual
Cold, Dark and gloomy
Remote, desolate, decay
Eerie and Spooky
Exotic places
Secret passages
Ominous

4. Gothic/Horror Tone
The tone of a Gothic/Horror story is usually serious, foreboding, mysterious, suspenseful, but sometimes it can be
playful and comedic

5. Gothic/Horror Mood Unusual/Exotic Cold, Dark and gloomy
Remote, desolate, decay
Eerie and Spooky
Foreboding/Ominous
mysterious
Tense

6. Examples Gothic/Horror Scenes
The Phelps place was an old, abandoned property with a monstrous, decrepit Victorian house that was supposed to be haunted. It should have been a good resting place for the local deer hunters, but they would not go near it. A few that tried came away before midnight with tales of ghostly thumping noises, gasps, moans, and a terrible wet bloodstain that appeared on the front porch and could not be wiped away.

7. Examples Gothic/Horror Scenes
Heath Manor finally rose into view behind a line of dense, gloomy fir trees. The closer we got, the more it looked like a brooding monster -- battered and bruised, but still menacing. A fierce wind tugged at its broken shutters.

8. Example Gothic/Horror Scene
The wind howled around Dave as he made his way across the Graveyard. Suddenly, the sun hid itself from the wind, plunging Dave’s world into darkness. Dave bent his head, leaning into the gale and listening to the voices it made. Whispers. Bad dreams. Fear touched his spine and he ducked into the old Church to wait for the sun to come out. The wind howled with laughter. Something moved.

9. Let’s do this: Write an opening scene to a Gothic/Horror Story
Choose a setting
You can use one of the pictures from our opening activity to get started.
Use details and strong verbs to establish the mood and tone.
Appeal to the senses – Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch, Sound
Use elements of a Gothic/Horror story that we discussed.
Must include at least 5 sentences.

10. Ideas for your opening scene
1. Describe the outside of the house from a distance, what does it look like? It sat there, like an animal...
2. Describe the house as if you were moving closer, maybe you see something in the window? A girls face moved across the window...
3. Describe entering the house. The door screamed as it opened.
4. Describe moving through the house. My footsteps echoed....
5. Describe something IN the house. The picture seemed to be staring at me....

11. Next Level: Literary Techniques
Personification: The Dark House sat there, full of menace.
Simile: The Dark House squatted on the hill side like some monstrous dark predatory beast.
Metaphor: The door yawned open, a gateway unto the very depths of hell.
Imagery: Foul vapours drifted up from the cracks in the floor....