Thoughtful writers such as King and McQueen, in probing pop culture media, makes us think twice about phenomena we might other wise take for granted.
In the essay " Why We Crave Horror Movies" the author Stephen King boldly discusses why people crave his tales of horror. King's success is partly based on his ability to provide the viewers with an outlet to their fears. King believes that "we are all insane" (315), Horror movies are one way that we use to release our insanity. Some of the things we may want to say or do in life are looked upon negatively. In civilized society, we learn that when we do something right we receive positive reinforcement, but when we do something that is wrong it is often followed by consequences. Perhaps we crave horror movies to " show that we are not afraid, that we can ride the roller coaster" (314).
Pamela Anderson
Stephen King at the Harvard Book Store.
Stephen King, American author best known for his e...They let us release out inner child and allow us to put aside our desire to be civilized. Horror movies "appeal to all that is worst in us" (316). We have such sick jokes as, " what's the difference between a truckload of bowling balls and a truckload of dead babies?" "You can unload a truckload of bowling balls with a pitchfork"(315). "Such a joke may surprise a laugh or grin out of us as we recoil, a possibility that confirms the thesis: If we share a brotherhood of man, then we also share and insanity of man" (316). Which is not intended as a defence of either the sick joke or insanity, but as an explanation of why the best horror movies manage to be reactionary, anarchistic, and revolutionary all at the same time. Therefore, King expresses his views fairly strongly and pulls in his readers in...