Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What does it mean when we say a literary work is a “horror” story? What have you read, watched, or played that fits into this genre? Why do people read and watch horror? What do you think “supernatural horror” is?

Teaching Suggestion: The precise definition of horror is less important than students having a general understanding of what is and is not horror. Students may benefit from debating the finer points of one another’s definitions, as this will encourage them to think about the somewhat loose boundaries around the term. They may also enjoy sharing examples they have encountered. Students may have difficulty moving beyond answers like “It’s fun” as they consider the purposes of the genre—the resources below may be helpful for teachers in generating ideas and providing specific language and terms for deeper discussion.

• This brief guide to the genre of horror explains its characteristics, purpose, and subgenres. (Content Warning: Site includes links to clips from The Shining and The Exorcist.