The terrifying part of horror is often the nature of the threat. Perhaps only one lucky survivor remains alive through a traumatic adventure out of sheer luck. The terrifying part of reading horror is realizing how much of it is based on gory scenes producing adrenaline in the reader rather than a comprehension of a complex overarching threat.
My son, who enjoyed reading Edgar Allen Poe and Ray Bradbury, showed me a short story written by Bradbury concerning people trapped in a mansion similar to Poe’s House of Usher. Ironically, they could have escaped if they had been familiar with Poe’s work, but they were not.
It’s not a complete coincidence that Bradbury used this idea of willing illiteracy more than once.
Edgar Allen Poe wrote stories above a sixth grade level (often at 8th grade level or higher). Bradbury repeated the theme of willing illiteracy by a public who simply wanted to be entertained. The lack of desire by the population to read challenging works is the reason that book burning began in Bradbury’s most famous novel, Fahrenheit 451.
Much of a generation not used to reading this more difficult literature doesn’t have the patience to dig through Poe’s work. The average adolescent reader hasn’t gained the vocabulary necessary to understand what was said in The House of Usher. I know that is not true of all adolescents. My son is not a one-of-a-kind person.
Because of the preference for simple direct language by many publishers, well known authors create obvious action scenes in horror stories rather than complex psychological problems. On the other hand, Poe provided subtle clues to the horror behind his stories. This deeper interest in human nature leads some readers to prefer writers that delve into human psyche, even if it requires a more complex understanding.
Here’s another article if you wish to read more:
Photos by K.N. Listman
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