Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Creepy, crawly, spooky, freaky...carnival?!

Today in class, we explored the connection between thrilling carnival (or amusement park) rides and the chilling literature & films of the horror genre. What's the appeal of terror? Where does the fascination with all things grotesque come from? We considered the origins of carnivals and discussed the dark history of "freak" shows in ancient Europe & the US, which offered us some explanation. 

I, for one, can't stand anything scary. No horror movies for me, thanks! In my opinion, we're fearful of certain things for good reason--because they're dangerous. However, some studies suggest that, in moderation, fright is good for us. Do you agree?


2 comments:

  1. I love your post, and i completely agree with the statement that people are scared of certain things. But sometimes we need some adrenaline, cause it makes us stronger and more fearless!

    ReplyDelete
  2. To Kate and her wonderful class: I completely agree with you and Ellie! I love horror movies and the adrenaline rush from a roller-coaster, high ropes course or fast track down a ski hill. It changes your view on the world, if you can appreciate that adrenaline and use it to your advantage, you can feel like you are on top of the World!

    ReplyDelete