Abstract This paper shows how Edgar Allan Poe in "The Tell Tale Heart" creates an exquisite horrorstory built around the central symbol of the Tell Tale Heart of the title. This symbol reverberates with underlying symbols of madness and fear and interacts with the image of the vulture eye that must be murdered. The writer explains how the narrator's mind is controlled by fear, and this fear has lead to insanity. When the story starts the narrator has already scared himself out of his wits and at the end he finds exactly what his unbalanced mind is looking for, the absolute in mortal terror.
From the Paper "This eye become a symbol, or perhaps even a pun, for the I, or mad self of the narrator. It is an eye with a film over it, an unseeing eye, perhaps the eye of the murderer himself, just as the heartbeat is his own heartbeat. He cannot see into himself. He is so insane that he believes his plan is wise. ?Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers, of my sagacity.? His mind is so twisted he believes that in bringing fear to the old man he will be able to kill his own fear. He will not kill the old man while the eye is closed. It has to be open. It has to know fear as he kills it. The murderer doesn?t understand his own motivation, which is to feed his own fear, as a vulture feeds, unendingly, seeking one carrion corpse after another. Poe works the image so that narrator merges with the eye and the vulture as he destroys himself and the eye (I). "
Abstract This paper examines Lovecraft's writings and compares them to Poe's. The writer shows how Poe was the first true writer of horrorstories but how Lovecraft based his genre on Poe and adapted it in a way he thought his readers would respond. The paper mentions several of their works and compares and contrasts them.
From the Paper "Horror writers use several tactics to prey on the human psyche and produce what the readers want, fear. Readers of horror writing want to feel their skin crawl and feel a building sense of tension. Horror writing has undergone several steps in evolution from its beginnings. The first true horror writer to prey on the depths of the human unconscious was Edgar Allen Poe. H.P Lovecraft used the style of Poe, however added another step to scare his readers. Modern writers have built further on Lovecraft to produce the modern horror genre. It is the use the element of the unknown, introduced by Lovecraft that has led to the development of the modern horror genre."
Abstract Analysis of the romantic horrorstory and critical interpretations. Discusses Freud's interest and the application of his psychoanalytic theory to the story. Structuralist literary criticism. Analysis of personality of literary characters vs. application of cultural and literary codes to construct meaning. Contends both theoretical approaches supply insights into the characters, although each has its limitations.
From the Paper "E. T. A. Hoffmann's story "The Sandman" is a striking account of the nearly inexplicable horror experienced by a man who is traumatized in childhood and whose fear returns in adulthood with tragic results. With four narrative voices, various characters' opinions about the nature of the main character's experience and feelings, a great deal of supernatural or uncanny material, and a sharp, surprising split between the earlier and later parts of the story it is a literary work that seems ripe for many kinds of criticism. Tales of Romantic horror often seem to lend themselves in particular to psychoanalytic criticism, especially when, like Hoffmann's tale, they seem to involve the disintegration of a character's personality and clearly involve childhood experience and sexual concerns. Indeed Sigmund Freud himself discussed the story at some length in his..."
Abstract A superior horrorstory is a combination of reality, supernatural and the fantastical worked into a suspenseful, captivating, believable story. The paper shows that Stephen King's novel, "Carrie", utilizes these literary elements to create a modern-day horrorstory. The character, Carrie, is realistic because she is, from all outward appearances, a normal teenage girl that suffers from merciless teasing. Carrie is also realistic because while we pity her, we also detest her actions. This realistic character is placed in a supernatural setting with her telekinetic powers, which makes the novel fantastical.
From the Paper "King also creates a very realistic character with Carrie in that she is depicted in two very different ways, which plays on our emotions. She is, on one hand, a creature to be pitied and on the other, she is a creature to de despised. At the beginning of the novel, we cannot help but feel sympathy for Carrie as she experiences her first menstrual cycle. Her first response is that she is "bleeding to death" (9) and the fact that Miss Desjardin is unsympathetic fosters our compassion for the girl. In addition, Carrie's classmates were "throwing sanitary napkins" (15) at Carrie in the shower."
Abstract Analysis of Mary Shelley's 19th Century novel as both a horrorstory and a philosophical novel. Romantic notions of Shelley's time, and impact of Romanticism on the arts. Examines themes of novel related to the virtues of nature, and relationship of man to God. Discusses in detail the characters of the Monster and of Victor.
From the Paper "Mary W. Shelley's novel Frankenstein is in part a parable on the arrogance of human beings in thinking they can supplant God. In this regard, the novel contrasts Rationalism and Romanticism and finds Rationalism wanting. Romantic notions of the time can be illustrated by reference to William Blake's poem "Milton" and to the Shelley novel.
In the nineteenth century, the prevailing artistic style for the first part of the century was romanticism, an art based on a form of "disorder," but a disorder seen as the emblem of the unfettered processes of the imagination. Fully developed Romanticism followed the cults of nature and of feeling which developed in the course of the eighteenth century and involved certain contradictions, embracing free thought on the one hand and religious mysticism on the other. Romanticism was the heir..."
Abstract Shirley Jackson is a short story writer known for writing disturbing stories that focus not on horrific events, but on normal events that occur in society. The writer shows how her stories add new meaning to common events that everyone can relate to, often also making a comment on our society. Three of her stories which have these features, are examined - "The Witch", "An Ordinary Day, With Peanuts", and "After You, My Dear Alphonse". These stories are compared in terms of theme, style, irony, and characters. The common features of Jackson's work can easily be identified.
From the Paper "In each of the three stories, the theme makes a comment on our society, using everyday events to accomplish this.
"In The Witch, a mother is on the train with her four-year old son. A man enters and noting that the boy needs entertaining, tells him a story. The story, however, is a horrific one and what would be considered an inappropriate one. The mother must then deal with the social situation of reacting to the man's inappropriateness. The aspect of the story that communicates the theme is that the boy is actually entertained by the story, even though it is considered inappropriate. This leads the reader to consider why these types of stories are so entertaining and why the mother is more disturbed by the story than her son. This leads to the questioning of the conventions of society, especially the idea of what is considered inappropriate."
This paper examines the horror film genre, also known as realist horror, while focusing on two specific films, "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer."
Abstract This paper analyzes the realist horror genre in film. The realist horror genre was spearheaded by Alfred Hitchcock in his 1960 film "Psycho." Horror films proliferated throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in Hollywood. Most of these films used comedy to portray killings, veering away from realism. The writer of this paper contends that the realist aspect of actual human killers is enough to leave lingering fears long after the viewing has ended. This paper focuses on this particular style of filmmaking, in which the approach is to focus on the killer rather than victim, resulting in terrifying the viewing audience. This well-researched paper notes the similarities and differences in "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer." This paper describes how both films leave the viewer with a lingering thought and fear of the real world. Specifically, fear of the horrific possibilities. "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer" is based on real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. The movie follows the daily life of Henry, beginning with aftermath shots of freshly murdered victims juxtaposed with images of Henry. This illustrates to the audience that Henry is indeed a bona-fide serial killer. "The Blair Witch Project" is a far cry from the typical slasher film. It uses an entirely different approach to realist horror. The film is shown as a documentary and the actors are not actors at all, but real victims captured on video.
From the Paper "The presentation style changes only during the murder scenes. The pictures are graphic and almost too gory to be real. One woman is seen with a bottle shoved into her throat and the electronics salesman's head goes through a television picture tube - just before the television is plugged in - electrocuting him. Background electric guitar is also present mostly during the build up to a murder. It is not overdone and avoids appearing out of place. Rather, it helps the viewer realize something important in happening. Overall the film does achieve a realism most slasher films cannot approach. This purposeful use of a home-movie style subtly reminds the viewer that the onscreen events are based in truth. Blair Witch takes the realist style one step further by using the camera as a prop in the film. The viewer is constantly reminded that an off-screen character is behind the lens."
Abstract Many horror movies musical techniques are discussed in this paper. The writer shows how this music effects the audience's viewing experience and builds up hype and expectations. Different styles are discussed - creepy, tense, supernatural, fear etc.
From the Paper "To fully utilize sound in a film it must be more than just neat sound effects added in as an after thought. The first crews to utilize this new mind set was the ever famous team of Ben Burtt and Walter Murch in Star Wars and then again in Apocalypse Now. They realized that the sound shaped the picture as much as the picture shaped the sound. The result was a powerful effect that forever changed the way sound is used in a film (Thom, 1999). It takes more than loud, high fidelity, and well executed sound effects to make a great movie. The soundtrack must be integrated into the entire film as a whole. It should enhance and change as the mood changes. In this way the soundtrack becomes a valuable part of the team (Thom, 1999). Many directors overlook the potential that sound has in storytelling and often do not consider it in relation to the other elements of the film. This philosophy embraces the idea that good sound embraces and is considered by the other crafts, as well. It is not just a product of the other crafts."
Abstract This paper examines how Kate Chopin's prolific short story entitled, "The Story of an Hour" provides the reader with endless literary devices as well as components which enhance the story and the point that the author is trying to get across. In particular, it looks at how Chopin's usage of irony, ending and character provide the basis for which this story can thrive upon.
From the Paper "Irony has the ability to alter one's ideas about what might be expected and what actually occurs. This was the case in "The Story of an Hour." Mrs. Mallard was devastated and simply unable to think straight when she had heard the news of the train accident which took the life of her husband only to see that he is alive and doing well. The fact that she prepared herself for her husband's death and allowed grieving time only to see him standing at her front door is astonishing, and ironic."
Abstract This paper explains that the short stories "The Monster" by Bertolt Brecht, and "Thief" by Robley Wilson, Jr. are very different in terms of their content, the periods and characters they represent. The author argues, through a focus on characterization and plot, that both stories explore a common theme of stereotypes and mistaken identity. The paper relates that both the characters in each story and the events of each plot reveal how mistaken our interpretations of other human beings often are.
From the Paper "The short stories "The Monster" by Bertolt Brecht, and "Thief" by Robley Wilson, Jr., are very different in terms of their content and the periods and characters they represent. However, as this essay argues, through a focus on characterization and plot, both stories explore a common theme of stereotypes and mistaken identity. As is seen, both the characters in each story, and the events of each plot, reveal how mistaken our interpretations of other human beings often are. Bertolt Brecht's "The Monster" is a story told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator of an incident at a Russian film company."
Abstract In this paper, Hawthorne provides three different women within three different stories that promote the theme of unattainable love. The women in Hawthorne's short stories die or are invariably unable to love the central male protagonist, but have varying differences of character and destiny that isolate them from a consummation of love's conjoined ideology. The paper describes the way in which Hawthorne has forged tales of romance that deny love and romance to the men and women involved in these three short stories.
From the Paper "This literary study will examine the role of unattainable women in three stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In this manner, Annie from "The Artist of the Beautiful", Georgiana in "The Birthmark", and Beatrice in "Rappaccini's Daughter" will be compared and contrasted. By examining the role of the unattainable and distant woman in relation to the plots in these tales, Hawthorne imbues the futility of romance in his short story works. In "Rappaccini's Daughter" the theme of unattainable love revolves around Giovanni and Beatrice, the daughter of the scientist Baglioni. The poisonous plants that the scientist creates have immunized Beatrice, and have had a harmful effect on Giovanni. The repulsion to Beatrice is instilled through her inaccessibility in the poisonous garden."
Abstract The paper describes the book, "Story-Wallah" by Shyam Selvadurai, which compiles a multitude of stories that depict the forced migration of individuals to other lands. The paper discusses issues that are raised in the stories with relation to migrants and how they cope in their search for new identities in their new countries.
From the Paper " Migration: The Search for Home and Identity The book, Story-Wallah by Shyam Selvadurai compiles a multitude of stories that depict the forced migration of individuals to other lands. Their plight is complicated further by their visions of what "home" will be, of the lives they leave behind and the new worlds that are gained, and by their search for new identities that are expressed through cultural differences and gender expectations. Migrants imagine home as a place that allow for them to discover their own identity without believing that they are outcast from the social order and made to feel as though society will always be a separate element from their existence. Selvadurai explains that the term used to describe the stories in the book, "despora" signifies a "scattering of seeds"."
Abstract This paper reviews and positively critiques Agatha Christie's "Miss Marple", focusing on the character of Miss Marple. The paper demonstrates how, despite being a quiet octogenarian who loves knitting, Miss Marple has the mind of a natural sleuth. After citing several examples from the stories to demonstrate this thesis, the paper concludes that the mysteries are fun, quaint and picturesque, which also inspire a love of the heroine and prove to the reader that crime need not be bloody to be interesting.
From the Paper "This is important because most of the twenty mysteries in The Complete Short Stories revolve around very ordinary settings. The first short stories began at the Tuesday Club, a social club formed by Miss Marple and her fellow old ladies her a small, English country town. The club was originally founded purely for the pleasures of social gatherings-but soon this club's purpose becomes a place of discussion of a variety of mysteries that prey upon the minds and the members of the club."
Abstract This paper consists of seven different papers, each dealing with a different issue, ranging from post colonialism, postmodernism, dialect, tone, and other literary issues. The common thread is that all utilize short stories found in Ann Charters' anthology, "The Story and Its Writer."
From the Paper "Themes are a common part of any literary tradition. These are the embedded meanings and ideological concepts that lurk just beneath the surface of any given narrative. Unearthing these themes in literary works can be both enlightening and unnerving depending upon the intentions of the author (and even of the reader). It should be no surprise, then, that some very common themes emerge in four short stories found in Ann Charters' anthology The Story and Its Writer. In Isak Dinesen's "The Sailor Boy's Tale" we find a clear example of the coming of age theme. In Louise Erdich's "The Red Convertible, the theme of brotherhood is plain to see (and read)."
Abstract A fictional story about two soldiers and friends and the emotions surrounding the death in battle of one of these soldiers. It examines the affections men can show in a time of war.
From the Paper "The all to forgotten sound of laughter was unexpectedly interrupted by the sound of crinkling paper. The playful blow to the chest by Robert to Steven brought attention to some foreign object in Steven's jacket. Steven hesitantly opens his jacket and begins the search. Both men look in awe as a humble photograph is pulled out of one of the various pockets located on the standard army jackets. As his eyes begin to fill with emotion Steven examines the affectionate picture of his stunning wife and precious baby daughter sitting under the weeping willow in their front yard. The sight brings a flood of emotions roaring through his haggard body. As if this image was not enough to bring him to tears Robert notices a message on the back. As Steven turns the initiator of memories over he immediately recognizes his wife's handwriting. "
