Comparing Psycho, Dracula, And The Birds, Jaws

Psycho, Dracula, The Birds, Jaws. The pulling back of a shower curtain, the glint of a knife, the unknown monster lurking in the dark. Since the first horror film, created in 1896, directors have been able to pinpoint exactly what it is that causes our hearts to race. Horror is one of the most popular movie genres because, somehow, directors have found a way to create content that induces an emotion as equally addictive as it is repelling: fear. However, fear is an emotion that goes far beyond the goosebumps and quickened heartbeat experienced briefly in a darkened movie theater. Fear is an emotion experienced daily that can either incapacitate or motivate us. According to the dictionary, fear is defined as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger”. This definition, while accurate, provides an oversimplified understanding of an incredibly complicated emotion. Fear is an emotion unlike any other because it is not simply something we feel. It is a living, breathing adversary that is nearly impossible to defeat. Fears take root in our minds, and, like unwanted shadows, they seem to always linger. For instance, a child that is attacked by a dog learns to be wary of all canines. A late night crime drama depicts a killer lying in wait in the woods, and its viewers subconsciously associate woods

This opponent is fluid, and it grows and changes with us as we age. It adapts to taken on new forms and degrees of severity in order to always take its victim by surprise. And like the ocean, fear is comprised of many levels. Some fears are like shallow water; familiar and clear, with something solid in sight. And some fears are like the deep ocean; unknown and unexplored, easy to get lost in. For example, my fear of centipedes is ankle deep compared to the fear my family felt when we discovered a stranger had broken into our home and stolen from