Tag Archives: horror

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Stephen King’s The Running Man: Surveillance and Survival

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Survivors on an island, survivors in a house, drama in paradise, and Joe Millionaires. Reality TV is at its best when it’s laced with drama and suspense. What will happen on this episode? What will happen next time? So pervasive is television in American markets that these types of questions have been asked long before reality television got its start on the airwaves. But, could it be possible that networks would take this idea one step further in the coming decades? Stephen King’s The Running Man, a novel (and soon-to-be film adaptation), explores what this violent scenario might look like in execution.

Summary of Stephen King’s The Running Man

Originally published in 1984, The Running Man is set in the far off future of 2025, and tells the story of Ben Richards. Ben is a man in his late 20s who lives in Co-Op city under a dystopian US government. His life is ruthlessly oppressed, his daughter is terminally sick, and his wife has turned to sex work to make ends meet. Ben, meanwhile, turns to the Games Network to enlist in one of the shows to attain money for his family. After physical and mental testing and an interview with showrunner Dan Kilian, Ben is selected to participate in the Running Man–a popular game on the network.

The rules for the game are as follows:

  • Contestants win 100 dollars for every hour they stay alive/not captured.
  • An additional 100 dollars for every police officer/Hunter that they eliminate.
  • Winners receive one-billion dollars if they stay alive for 30 days.
  • Contestants are given a video camera and $4,800 before they leave the studio.

Without giving away too much, Ben embarks on a violent adventure through the world of the dystopian government, in which the impoverished live and breath in pollution and watch propagandistic television enabled by their leaders. At every turn, Ben is confronted by law enforcement, hunters, and betrayal. Does he survive the Running Man? You will have to read it (or watch it) to find out.

Conclusion

Much like The Long Walk, Richard Bachman’s The Running Man is a televised circus of violent proportions. The contestants are forced to survive in a dangerous and unwinnable situation and are pushed to their extremes. As such, we see humanity at its basest and barest form–brooding and visceral. The story critiques media consumption habits and pushes it to the most Dionysian limits. People are hunted, people are shot, and people are killed. This is not a kind world, but none of Bachman’s worlds are that kind to begin with, whether we look at the aforementioned The Long Walk, or his other works, like Roadwork, or Rage. If you are interested in reading this book, be prepared for some brutal confrontations and aggression.

Blog, Folklore

Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination, A Formative Read

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I have a lot of books that played a role in my literacy voyage. These include Roald Dahl’s Young Adult/Adult novels to R.L. Stine’s Goosebump series and others. But there are a few that really got me rolling on loving horror and the occult. One of which was Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Alex Hamer.

This was a book that I read many, many times. I can remember reading this book as a kid at my parents’ house. In fact, one of my middle school teachers let me read a few chapters from this book to the class one afternoon. What a memory!

We are going to talk about this book today because it is an excellent collection of folklore and mythology. It also spans the gamut of gruesome to horrific. Hopefully this inspires you to pick up a copy wherever you can find one. While formative for me, it can be inspiring for you!

Synopsis of Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination

Ghosts and Madness

Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination is a clever book. It comes from the author’s ability to play with myth and folklore. There are truly horrific tales that come from the annals of world history. Yet, it is clever in construction. Each chapter begins with a short history lesson or synopsis that pulls the reader into the story. It’s also clever in scope, spanning the world through stories most of us have heard and new ones that we won’t soon forget.

To get a good example of how this book operates, we need to look no further than the first chapter, which is titled “The Bleeding House Mystery.”

It begins:

“The strange disappearance of Buford and Ellen Penrose was a haunting, unsolved mystery for eight years…until the awful night when blood began dripping from the ceiling of their home, sending the gathering of fashionable dinner guests fleeing in horror.”

Now, if that doesn’t intrigue you in the least then I am not sure how else to pique your interest. The author packed this book with memorable haunts. And they page after page is laden with exciting narratives.

Buried Alive

The stories in Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination continue in grisly entertainment in the proceeding chapters. “Ghostly Escorts” tells the tale of lost ships at sea. Ships that are filled with phantoms. Meanwhile, “The Pleading Ghost” presents perhaps the scariest way to expire—premature burial. It spares nothing in its revelation of a poor young woman suffering her last moments on Earth. She is confined in a coffin six-feet under. Though her struggle is never revealed–she fought until her last breath.

It reads:

“The hair that remained on the skull was disheveled and the knees were bent as if in an effort to force open the coffin lid. Worse, much worse, there were bloody, parallel scratches on the wood of the inside coffin lid, and a single fingernail was still imbedded in the soft pine.”

Additionally, there are stories of the occult in Egypt and psychics predicting their own deaths. There is also one of my favorites: the story of the bloodthirsty Sawney Beane family. They were a family so grim that they terrorized and cannibalized the Irish hills of Galloway for years. Eventually, King James’ army came to the hills and arrested the family.

Final Thoughts on These Strange Tales

I love hearing stories about ghosts and monsters because there is a rawness and realness to what humans believe they have experienced. Oral storytelling is excellent as well. That realness extends itself to Strange Tales of Mystery and Imagination, because there is something conversational that likens each story to homespun horror, as if the author is in the same room next to a roaring fire regaling an audience with the macabre.

While it may sound dark–and it is dark–it’s actually a really fun book that filled many of my days with delightful fright. Regardless, if you can imagine a young Michigander weened on Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King, then you might understand why this book is important to me and my reading journey. Even these days, I will absent-mindedly pluck it off the bookshelf and flip through the pages. The stories are just that intriguing.

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Gothic elements in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

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Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a Gothic/Romantic novel dreamt up by an 18-year-old Shelley after a rigorous debate about moldy cheese between her husband and his colleague Lord Byron. Having been put to a challenge, Shelley wrote a story to show her literary dominance. Out of her momentary brilliance popped the immortal Frankenstein, a story of a God-complex, madness, and love. In this post, we are going to examine how Shelley’s novel fits the description of the gothic genre.

What is the gothic genre?

The gothic genre originated in the 18th century. It is a literary and artistic movement characterized by the mysterious, supernatural, and macabre. Similarly, it often features eerie settings. These include ancient castles, gloomy landscapes, and decaying mansions to create an atmosphere of suspense and dread.

The genre frequently explores themes of madness, death, sin of the spirit, and the unknown. As such, readers often find tales of haunted protagonists encountering ghosts, monsters, or other supernatural elements.

Gothic texts delve into the darker aspects of human nature. And, it explores the psychological and emotional realms while often incorporating elements of horror and romance.

Brief synopsis of Frankenstein

The novel follows Dr. Frankenstein as he tells his story of obsession to a ship captain. The story details the doctor’s search for the secret of life. Frankenstein achieves his goal by bringing back to life to an abomination. The creature is so horrible that it terrifies him enough to cause the doctor to flee in terror.

After the monster educates himself in solitude, he returns to the doctor to ask for the creation of a mate. Loneliness has consumed his life. Dr. Frankenstein agrees–only to destroy the second monster at the last moment (due to moral quandaries of the soul). Frankenstein’s actions enrages the monster. Afterward, the monster then sets itself about murdering Dr. Frankenstein’s loved ones. He does this in retribution, and he adeptly completes this grim objective.

Dr. Frankenstein gives chase to destroy the monster. After a long pursuit through the desolate arctic, Dr. Frankenstein succumbs to sickness. He dies aboard the ship of Captain Robert Walton, who was bound for the North Pole. The monster returns and finds Dr. Frankenstein dead. He decides to end his own life by traveling as far north as possible and into the freezing ice.

How Frankenstein fits the gothic genre

  • Setting

First, it fits the genre through its atmospheric setting, thematic elements, and exploration of the macabre. That is to say, the novel unfolds against a backdrop of desolate landscapes, from the icy vastness of the Arctic to the isolated laboratories where Frankenstein conducts his experiments. These settings contribute significantly to the Gothic atmosphere, which gives the reader a sense of loneliness and terror that is characteristic of the genre.

  • Themes

The thematic elements in Frankenstein align closely with gothic conventions. The narrative delves into the consequences of scientific ambition (becoming God), as Frankenstein’s relentless pursuit of knowledge leads to the creation of a grotesque and tormented monster.

The novel grapples with existential questions surrounding life and death, morality, and the limits of scientific experimentation (think about how vivisection was in vogue at one point). Shelley’s exploration of the darker facets of human nature, the consequences of playing god, and the impact of isolation on the psyche all resonate with Gothic sensibilities.

  • Tropes

Moreover, the novel incorporates gothic tropes such as the supernatural and the grotesque. Frankenstein’s creation embodies the macabre—a stitched-together amalgamation of body parts brought to life through untested knowledge. The monster’s existence as an outcast, rejected by society, adds a layer of tragedy and horror, reflecting the theme of the monstrous and the misunderstood, which factors in the gothic genre.

  • Tone

The narrative’s gothic tone is enhanced by the sense of dread and impending doom in the story. Frankenstein’s descent into madness and the haunting pursuit of revenge by his creation contribute to the overall atmosphere of suspense and horror. Furthermore, the novel is slowly paced as per gothic tradition. This adds layers of complexity, reinforcing the gothic tradition of intricate and mysterious storytelling.

In conclusion

In summary, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein embodies the gothic genre through its settings, themes, tropes, and overall tone. These elements achieve a legendary status in the novel due to Shelley’s ability to weave her narrative with intelligence and empathy. Frankenstein is a quintessential gothic novel, and it will continue to be the reference point for future authors of the genre for many years to come.

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‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’: Disturbing Imagery and Delightful Tales

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There are foundational books that shape the way we think about the world around us when we are kids. Some of those books are childish, such as Clifford or Amelia Bedelia. Meanwhile, some of those books are far more adult, like Goosebumps or the book we are analyzing today, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

All we really have to do is point out the illustrations of this book. No doubt, they are why most people remember the book fondly. Though, if we take a closer look, the stories are also designed in a way to be quickly consumed and universally shared. Join us as we delve into this strikingly dark collection of folklore.

About Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Schwartz was a journalist and author of more than 50 books, and he drew a great deal of inspiration from folklore and urban legends. He also wrote about folk tales and legends aside from this sinister collection. Likewise, he wrote poetry about similar subjects.

This was a controversial collection when it was published in Oct. of 1981. Considering this, advocacy groups frequently challenged this book for its disturbing imagery and dark content.

For instance, in an article written for The Argus-Press, an “enraged” mother shares her concern about the content in More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

“This was way past being scary,” she said. “There were two stories in there that were really objectionable. One was really disgusting. It was about a man who murders his wife, chops her up, puts her through a meat grinder and sells her as sausage” (The Argus-Press)

The woman above is angry at the story titled “Wonderful Sausage,” which, is an excellently wicked little story. Certainly, the graphic depictions within the book caused some alarm, as well as the artwork.

As such, the true selling point of this book outside of Schwartz’s excellent storytelling is Stephen Gammell’s drawings. Gammell has worked on many different projects and won the Caldecott Medal for US picture book illustration in 1989. In all three collections of scary stories, Gammell’s illustrations are truly something to marvel at because they are ungodly scary and so completely original. This is exactly what you want out of horror art.

Here is an article comparing Brett Helquist’s more modern drawings compared to Stephen Gammell’s bleak, esoteric ones. You can see the difference in visual impact almost immediately.

Contents

The original book was published on Oct. 14, 1981 and features 29 stories, including:

  • The Big Toe
  • Me Tie Dough-ty Walker!
  • Alligators
  • Room for One More
  • The Wendigo
  • The Hook
  • High Beams

The ones listed are certainly highlights. However, a book so wrapped up in nostalgia has endless highlights. The stories range from horror to comedy to just plain strange. There is a great variety in this collection and they have that “folkloric” quality, which borders on urban legend.

They are just astonishingly spooky all around.

Conclusion

Horror gives us insight into our own fears, anxieties, and humanity. This is important for us to understand so we can make better sense of the world around us. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a great example of a book that does just that. It puts the reader in the face of murder, mortality, and all things that go bump in the night.