NBE3U - Horror Unit Terminology Review

Satire

The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Juvenalian

Sharp, biting satire that uses contempt/moral indignation to criticize the evils of human beings/institutions.

Horatian

Gentle, smiling satire that seeks to correct human folly through sympathetic laughter.

Catharsis

The purging of (usually negative) emotions. Literature might deliberately build up emotions like fear, despair, and anger so that readers can experience and confront these emotions in a safe way.

Magical Realism

Fiction and literature that presents blatantly fantastic/supernatural elements alongside more mundane, realistic elements. The supernatural elements are usually presented in a very matter-of-fact way that forces the reader to take a more active role in considering what is “normal” (making the real strange).

The Fantastic

A sub-genre of horror that focuses on blatantly supernatural or otherwise explicable dangers. The source of anxiety is often tied to our fear of the unknown.

Psychological

A sub-genre of horror that focuses on abnormal mental states. Often centrally features the killer/monster’s mindset but may alternately place an emphasis on the victim’s growing psychological distress.

Moral Allegory

A sub-genre of horror set around establishing a social message. There is a set of stated or socially implied rules; if a character breaks one of these rules, they are punished (often through a gruesome death). The punishment may or may not make sense as a consequence of the rule breaking narratively. Often has a focus on the conflict between good and evil.

Direct

Satire in which the author’s voice speaks directly to the audience.

Indirect

Satire that embedded into a broader narrative structure.