Let's talk about setting and horror.
What is indispensable to a spine-chilling tale? I would argue that it’s a memorable, fear-inducing setting.
The aim is for our setting to leave a lasting impression on the reader. The goal of the writer is to have the setting stir disquiet and even fear in the reader. This does two things. First, this gives the reader what they want. After all, readers are drawn to horror because they relish the thrill of being scared.
Second, the emotion of fear itself has an inherently memorable quality. When a setting manages to tap into our deepest anxieties, it becomes intricately woven into the fabric of our memories. (For example, I still think of Pennywise the Clown (Stephen King’s, “It”) when I use the washroom in the middle of the night!)
What I aim to explore in the following discussion is a matter of craft: How does a writer skillfully shape a setting that possesses the power to evoke fear?
Small Enclosed Spaces
Certain things are true for all settings. If you want a sense of claustrophobic threat then small enclosed dark spaces are the way to go: caves, basements, dungeons. I will talk more about setting when I discuss setting and character, but I will leave that for the future. Here I want to concentrate on settings specific to a horror.
Certain principles hold true for all settings. When aiming to instill a sense of claustrophobic threat, small, enclosed, and dark spaces offer a compelling choice—be it the depths of caves, the dimness of basements, or the foreboding atmosphere of dungeons. I will leave a more detailed exploration of setting, particularly in the context of character development, for future blog posts. For now, I will focus on settings tailored to the horror genre.
Now, let's talk about isolation.[1]
Isolation
In a horror story, the setting should isolate the main characters, but there are different kinds of isolation. For instance, isolation can manifest as either physical (being in a remote location) or social/psychological.
Let’s look at a few examples.
In "Cabin in the Woods" (2011), the isolation is physical. College kids venture into the wilderness for a vacation by a remote lake.
In 'The Others' (2001), isolation is both physical and psychological. The children and their mother intentionally isolate themselves because of the children's rare medical condition, Xeroderma Pigmentosum—an extreme sensitivity to sunlight. This condition dictates that the curtains can never be opened, leaving the house and its occupants in perpetual twilight. This not only establishes and explains the dark mood of the movie but also plays a causitive role in the unfolding tragedy.
In "The Exorcist" (1973), the isolation is social/psychological. The protagonist, Chris MacNeil, isn't physically cut off from the world. Chris grapples with a sense of estrangement caused by her daughter Regan's peculiar behavior, coupled with the belief that Regan may be possessed. This sense of isolation persists even within the confines of a beautiful home in the heart of a bustling city.
Another crucial aspect the setting of a horror story must possess is the impossibility of escape or rescue.
The impossibility of escape or rescue
When navigating isolated settings, it becomes important to eliminate any hint of potential escape or rescue, whether the protagonist and his allies face physical or psychological/social isolation.
In terms of story structure, the hero’s reality—by which I mean his assumption that daylight rules apply, there are no monsters lurking in the shadows, there is no boogeyman under your bed, and so on—is shattered around the midpoint.
At the midpoint, the hero's perception of reality is shattered. For instance, initially, the college kids believe that the abandoned cabin they decide to spend the weekend in is a normal cabin without a blood-soaked history, that there are no such things as monsters, and that the worst thing that could happen to them is that they run out of beer. In other words, they believe the rules of the world they have traveled to are identical to the world they have always known. At the midpoint, the hero realizes that this assumption of normality is false. As a result, his world-view is shattered.
How the hero's reality is shattered can take various forms. It can be that (as in The Matrix) the hero discovers that he has been fundamentally mistaken about the entire world, about what is real. More usually, though, it is localized to the place of adventure (for example, the haunted house, the traveling circus, and so on).
After the hero's reality is shattered and he acknowledges the existence of monsters, one of two things can happen: the hero can try to fight or he can try to flee. Whichever he attempts, though, he will fail completely and utterly at the All Hope is Lost Point that takes place at the end of Act Two.
For example, (spoiler warning) the All Hope is Lost Point in "The Cabin in the Woods" is where Curt (Chris Hemsworth) attempts to escape the isolated setting by using his motorbike to jump across a huge chasm. His friends are watching, hoping beyond hope that he will succeed. Everything hinges on him going to get help. However, halfway across, Curt runs headlong into an invisible forcefield, and we witness him and his bike tumble downward until they disappear into its depths. [2]
Running Toward the Climax of the Story
While it may appear that the All Hope is Lost point has to mark the story's conclusion, it doesn't. The hero experiences an epiphany, a profound realization that pushes him to his absolute limit and then well beyond. However, instead of breaking, he bends. The calamity triggers a profound change within the hero, prompting him to devise an idea, a plan, that gives him (and us) one last glimmer of hope. Now, everything is genuinely and truly on the line.
The Climax of the Story
The conclusion of any story, particularly a horror story, reveals much about the main character. What does this character hold most dear: his own life or the lives of those he loves? Is his primary goal to escape, with the monster's demise as an optional extra? Or is it to vanquish the monster, eliminating its menace from the world, even at the cost of his own life?
Keep in mind that even if the hero chooses to sacrifice himself, it doesn't necessarily mean he will die. Taking a cue from the non-horror film "Edge of Tomorrow," where the hero, Cage, is sure he will die in his attempt to kill the Big Bad, an unexpected twist occurs, and he survives. This final twist was, in my opinion, both both plausible and satisfying.
Kinds of Scenes in a Horror Story
The Jump Scare
A jump scare is:
“...a technique often used in horror films and video games, intended to scare the audience by surprising them with an abrupt change in image or event, usually co-occurring with a loud, frightening sound.” (Wikipedia)
Jump scares are unique to the horror genre. While they may be a bit cheesy, I believe they can be executed to good effect.
It’s sometimes good to include a 'fake out' scene around the time when the audience expects the first monster attack, just before it actually happens. This is where tension reaches a peak and we anticipate a monster's appearance. Instead, though, a black cat jumps out of the darkness, hisses, and runs away. (Granted, it is much easier to execute a jump scare on a screen than on the printed page!)
I've seen more than one horror movie that employed a scene like this to great effect, judging from my reaction. Usually, it occurred right before the first violent episode of the film. It was a 'fake out,' and then, almost before I finished laughing and feeling silly, something nasty happened to one of the characters, and I wasn't prepared. Jump scares are effective.
The Endearing Scene
I've saved the most important thing for last: include an endearing scene early on in the story.
In a horror story, the likelihood that your protagonist is going to fail in his quest and die horribly is high.
Because of this, the protagonist is often given a mini-story in the beginning, one that reveals his true nature. This mini-story can be spread over the first 25% of the story (Act One: The Ordinary World). We, the readers, identify with and (ideally) are charmed by the protagonist as we watch how she lives her life.
In the first 10% or so of the movie, the protagonist and her friends and allies often have some sort of good-natured rivalry, involving minor conflicts that lay bare the group dynamic. We find out who is crazy, who is intelligent, who has a heart of gold, who is willing to take advantage of the person with the heart of gold, and so on.
That’s All!
That concludes our discussion for now! Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the most crucial aspect of a horror story. Feel free to leave your comments—I read each one.
As always, happy writing!
Note: This article was first published here.
Notes:
I prefer the term "talk" over "write" because I think of these blog posts as conversations between you, the reader, and me. I picture us comfortably seated in a cafe, sipping our preferred beverages, having a conversation about writing. :-)
In the mentioned movie, it's more akin to the All Hope is Lost “sequence” (rather than “point”), but I would argue it initiates with Curt's attempt to escape.