Horrific Imagery in “The Messenger”
No matter the type of media in which they are presented, most great works of horror make use of some imagery to elicit the fear present within people. This is perhaps most easily done in the world of cinematography, as scary movies and television present an actual picture alongside sound. When combined effectively these two elements nearly immerse an individual in a horrific experience. Writers however find themselves with a greater challenge, for they must rely on the reader’s imagination to invoke a sense of terror. At times authors of horror will choose to write with imagery that is incredibly specific, and which describes to readers frightening situations for them to envision. This could be through descriptions of unsettling events, or it could involve the construction of a disturbing atmosphere. However while such examples possibly contain the most horrifying concepts imaginable, they are reliant on the idea that a reader will in fact treat the explained occurrence as scary. Other macabre imagery is stated in such a way that much stays unknown. This type does not outright tell readers what they should picture or feel in their mind; rather it prompts them to think of some situation based on what they consider fear provoking. It still is considered imagery because the diction stimulates the senses; it simply relies on human thoughts to fill in the specifics. This makes for a very effective type of terror since at its root it demonstrates that humans always find ways to fear the unknown or what they do not understand. In an attempt to create a genuine piece of horror, and therefore unsettle or perhaps even scare the readers of his poem, Howard Phillips Lovecraft wrote “The Messenger” ...
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... feeling of anxiety, because readers would still find themselves wondering what was coming even after they finish reading the poem. Ultimately Lovecraft found a way to write imagery that terrifies readers through their fear of what is unknown, and that really solidifies “The Messenger” as a positively macabre poem.
Through the use of imagery Lovecraft has manufactured a poem that creates a quite impressive feeling of fright when read. Obviously, as with any work of literature, the intensity with which one responds to “The Messenger” will differ between individuals. Not all will find the piece terribly horrendous, and it is safe to assume that some will not find it creepy by any stretch of the imagination. Regardless, no one can deny that H. P. Lovecraft forged “The Messenger” into a memorable poem, which relegates itself among some of his greatest works.
I have provided a clear evaluation of his essay in an organized way using the appropriate standards of evaluation. In understanding why humans “Crave Horror Movies” even when some people get nightmares after watching them we find the importance of our emotions and fears. We find those emotions and fears form a body of their own which needs to be maintained properly in order to remain healthy. We see how emotions can be controlled though viewing horror movies. Stephen King’s “Why We Crave Horror Movies” is a well written essay with convincing analogies, comparisons, and urban humor.
Authors use various styles to tell their stories in order to appeal to the masses exceptionally well and pass the message across. These messages can be communicated through short stories, novels, poems, songs and other forms of literature. Through The Masque of the Red Death and The Raven, it is incredibly easy to get an understanding of Edgar Allen Poe as an author. Both works describe events that are melodramatic, evil and strange. It is also pertinent to appreciate the fact that strange plots and eerie atmospheres are considerably evident in the author’s writings. This paper compares and contrasts The Masque of the Red Death and The Raven and proves that the fear of uncertainty and death informs Edgar Allen Poe’s writings in the two works
Edgar Allan Poe is known to observe humans reaction to… Both Poe, in his short stories “The Fall of the house of Usher”, and Bierce, in his short story “One of the Missing”, expose their characters to fear.
Lovecraft, H.P.. “The Beast in the Cave.” The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft: The Road to
The article Why We Crave Horror Movies by Stephen King distinguishes why we truly do crave horror movies. Stephen King goes into depth on the many reasons on why we, as humans, find horror movies intriguing and how we all have some sort of insanity within us. He does this by using different rhetorical techniques and appealing to the audience through ways such as experience, emotion and logic. Apart from that he also relates a numerous amount of aspects on why we crave horror movies to our lives. Throughout this essay I will be evaluating the authors arguments and points on why society finds horror movies so desirable and captivating.
Markus Zusak’s novel I am the Messenger follows the story of Ed Kennedy, a 19 year old cab-driver and the ‘“epitome of ordinariness” (253). When the novel begins, Ed doesn’t have much besides a mother who hates him, a handful of friends he plays cards with, and an old smelly dog. He’s a dead man walking, with no purpose and no goals. Ed compares himself to Bob Dylan, Salvador Dali, and Joan of Arc, pointing out that by the time they were his age, they all had made something of themselves, while his greatest achievement was getting a series of mysterious playing cards in the mail. Written on each playing card was a clue to direct him to his next task. While helping the people the cards lead him to, ordinary Ed gains compassion and finally
Modern day horror films are very different from the first horror films which date back to the late nineteenth century, but the goal of shocking the audience is still the same. Over the course of its existence, the horror industry has had to innovate new ways to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats. Horror films are frightening films created solely to ignite anxiety and panic within the viewers. Dread and alarm summon deep fears by captivating the audience with a shocking, terrifying, and unpredictable finale that leaves the viewer stunned. (Horror Films)
A clear example of the use of diction to provoke fear is seen in Chapter IV. Mary Shelley uses words such as “wretch”, “yellow skin”, “horrid”, “white sockets” and “shriveled” to describe the monster, thus making our stomachs churn. Later on, she uses words such as “livid”, “grave-worms”, “crawling”, “dim” and “convulsed” to describe a terrifying nightmare Victor Frankenstein, the main character, had had the night his monster came to life.
Edgar Allan Poe is an author known for his use of gothic elements throughout his writing than creates tension. One can easily pick up the use of tension in his writing with his story “The Pit and the Pendulum”. The Poe reveals this tension with his use of sensory language throughout the passage. The use of sensory language allows the reader to feel the fear and hear the same sounds as the narrator. As the narrator is strapped to the table forced to listen to the “hissing vigor” of the pendulum, forced to face his impending death.
The author selects techniques of diction such as connotation, repetition, and onomatopoeia, to establish the fear is the overall excerpt. He manipulates connotation to enhance the mood. As the character is driven about the midnight landscape by the mysterious coachman, he notices the “frowning rocks” hanging over the road, a “ghostly flicker” of blue light which he cannot explain and off in the distance the “long agonized wailing” of dogs. The word “frowning” allows us to see that this is no happy setting, even the rock that cannot feel is frowning and not smiling. The author uses the word ghostly to describe the flicker of light. Light usually portrays a saving or some sign of hope. By using ghostly as a descriptive word, he makes it seem supernatural or like it’s faintly there. If he wanted this to be a sign of hope he could have worded it a flickering light, but he did not causing the character to feel fright and no hope. The utilization of repetition by Stoker applies reinforcement to the atmosphere. Throughout the excerpt the narrator continues intensifying the effects by also repeating phrases such as “another and another.” By repeating these words the reader is being reminded of the alien emotions and surroundings of such a strange place. The use of intensifying repetition strengthens the negative connotation words following directly before or afte...
Settings are the fundamental element that create the allure of fear; without the presence of a setting, a reader's’ curiosity will begin to fade away. In the short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher” the author, Edgar Allan Poe, demonstrates how our settings can become a part of us and show our subconscious emotions. This is also a critical element in the short story, “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortázar. This short story demonstrates that our homes can sometimes overtake us if we are left vulnerable. Both authors create a disturbing atmosphere in order to construct a sense of fear for readers; however, their writing contain elements that differ.
From the initial start of the story, Edgar Allan Poe creates an emotional feeling of fear and dread in the heart of the reader(s). Through his use of word choice and the amount of details he put into this short story it is to no surprise that he is one of the most well known authors of his time. For example in his story The Tell-Tale Heart he conceives such fear and dread through the narrator and the old man characters. From the very beginning of the short story Poe portrays the narrator to be creepy and mad, as if he possess some disease. If you ever read this story you will find a quote that reads “Every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it-
...as. “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Purloined Letter”. Each of these tales have depth that explains the train of thought that one experiences in critical situations. The horror allows one to emotionally connect and observe the situation. The puzzling effect that Poe leaves one with really puts one in a rational state of mind that is needed in committing crimes. Finally, the psychological theme puts it all together as Poe gives a detailed path of mental positions and how they come about. As the reader goes on, he or she realizes that Poe uses indirect messages too. This is seen in “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Edgar Allan Poe uses the themes of terror, puzzles and psychology in his written adventures to show and prove that the human mind is something that is in constant change. Every action has a consequence.
It is almost hard to deny the existence and presence of spirits, good or evil, when studying art and literary theory. Do these spirits stand as an independent force completely separate from our imagination, or is ‘evil spirit’ simply a pseudonym given to the darker layers of the subconscious that some artists are not afraid to utilize in order to create shocking, however powerful images and statements? These images and ideas may be at times disquieting, yet they are still relatable since we as humans all have those dreary, somber places within ourselves. The reason that these might make us as the viewer feel uncomfortable is because not everyone is prepared to go down those dark and ominous hallways of our minds.
Edvard Munch’s, “The Scream,” depicts a man’s inward scream in his piece in an unorthodox, provocative way through compositional choices. Munch reveals that his inspiration for his famous painting derived from an experience “walking with two friends . . . suddenly the sky turned blood-red. . . my friends walked on, and there I still stood, trembling with fear - and I sensed an endless scream passing through nature” (Munch)1. Munch’s experience contains an essence of melancholy with looming undertones of reclusiveness and hostility through bold color and harsh lines throughout the entire piece. The directness of Munch’s subject matter is bold as viewers relate to this “endless scream” that is so part of the natural element of the human condition (Munch). There is not an individual on this earth who has yet to feel completely overwhelmed and trapped in his or her life. Every person possesses an inner scream that their insecurities hide from society. Acting on such a natural reaction is typically looked down upon in our day yet not f...