Part II: How to Write Horror: Lessons from The Philosophy of Horror by Noell Carroll

 

Part II
How to Write Horror: Lessons from The Philosophy of Horror by Noell Carroll

 

 

Part I of this essay dealt with the first two chapters of The Philosophy of Horror by Noël Carroll. In Part II, we will explore the final two chapters: Plotting Horror (Chapter 3) and the Second Paradox of Horror (Chapter 4). 

 

 Chapter 3: Plotting Horror 

 

Carroll introduces Chapter 3 with this statement: 

 

 “My aim is to introduce some of the most important plot structures in the horror genre, in order not only to illuminate their fundamental organizing principles, but also to suggest, in part, something of the origin of the pleasure that horror aesthetes find in the genre. Again, I do not claim to be able to identify every horror plot, nor, perhaps, even all of the basic plots. My findings are provisional, though I hope that they are nonetheless instructive.” 

Carroll identifies two primary plot structures in the horror genre: the Complex Discovery Plot and the Overreacher Plot. He examines these in detail and explores variations within each structure. 

 

 The Complex Discovery Plot 

This plot type is one of the most common in horror fiction and its variations. When fully realized, it unfolds in four distinct phases: 

1. Onset: 

   The malevolent force begins to manifest. Strange noises, unsettling sights, and unexplained anomalies create a growing sense of dread. During this period, characters typically experience denial or skepticism as they try to rationalize their experiences. 

2. Discovery: 

   The supernatural or monstrous elements become more pronounced. The protagonist observes increasingly disturbing phenomena, leading to a process of investigation or inquiry. This phase intensifies the tension as skepticism gives way to reluctant belief. 

3. Confirmation: 

   The protagonist seeks validation of their discoveries, often attempting to convince others or solidify their understanding of the threat. This stage is critical when the protagonist must garner support or overcome self-doubt. 

4. Confrontation: 

   The final phase involves a direct clash with the monster or malevolent entity. The protagonist uses the knowledge gained in the earlier stages to attempt to defeat the force, with outcomes ranging from victory to tragic failure. 

Examples: The Exorcist, The Omen, and similar stories follow this structure closely. 

 Variations of the Complex Discovery Plot 

Carroll acknowledges that not all horror narratives employ every phase of the Complex Discovery Plot. Some stories omit or adapt certain phases: 

- Skipping the Confirmation Phase: 

In tales like Cycle of the Werewolf, the protagonist does not need to convince others or even themselves of the monster's existence. Instead, they proceed directly from discovery to confrontation. This works particularly well in shorter narratives or action-driven plots. 

- Omitting the Onset Phase: 

   Some stories eliminate the slow buildup and plunge directly into the discovery phase, where the monster appears suddenly and without prior warning. This approach creates immediate tension and can work effectively in high-paced narratives. 

- Omitting the Confrontation Phase: 

   In certain horror stories, the characters discover they are dealing with an unstoppable force and succumb without the opportunity for a true confrontation. This variation underscores helplessness and inevitability. 

- Onset/Confrontation Combination 

Carroll also describes stories where the onset and confrontation phases occur simultaneously. For instance, in Alien, the creature’s presence is immediately apparent and undeniably monstrous. As Carroll puts it: 

“There is no distance between onset and discovery; they not only occur in the same instance, but there is no question about the existence and the nature of the present danger to all concerned.” 

 

This structure works well for fast-paced horror narratives where immediate danger takes precedence over gradual discovery.

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The Overreacher Plot 

The second type of plot Carroll identifies is the Overreacher Plot, often associated with classic stories about mad scientists and necromancers. This structure emphasizes the dangers of forbidden knowledge and the consequences of hubris. 

Famous examples include Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Carroll explains: 

“The overreacher plot is concerned with forbidden knowledge—of either the scientific or the magical sort. This knowledge is put to the test in terms of either an experiment or an incantation of evil forces. Whereas the stories derived above from the complex discovery plot often stress the shortsightedness of science, the overreacher plot criticizes science’s will to knowledge.” 

 

Structure of the Overreacher Plot 

The Overreacher Plot unfolds in four key movements: 

1.       Preparation for the Experiment: The protagonist devises a plan to obtain forbidden knowledge, often in defiance of moral or natural boundaries. 

2.       The Experiment:  The protagonist enacts their plan, frequently involving scientific or magical experimentation.

3.        Unintended Consequences: The experiment goes awry, resulting in the creation of a monster or unleashing a destructive force. 

4.       Death and Destruction: The consequences of the experiment lead to chaos, destruction, or tragedy. 

 

Themes in the Overreacher Plot 

The Overreacher Plot often conveys a moral lesson about the dangers of overstepping boundaries. The central theme is that certain knowledge is best left untouched, whether by science or magic. 

 

SUSPENSE

 

Having discussed the two primary plot types, Carroll dedicates a significant portion of the chapter to the concept of suspense. 

Carroll begins this section by noting: 

“Horror stories are predominantly concerned with knowledge as a theme.” 

He explains that the central purpose of horror narratives is often to make sense of the unknown—or even the unknowable. 

Suspense 

Suspense is a key narrative element in most horror stories. Carroll introduces the concept of erotetic narration to explain how suspense functions within storytelling. He writes: 

 “One hypothesis, which has proved to be very powerful in studying the logic of popular narratives, is the idea that scenes, situations, and events that appear earlier in the order of exposition in a story are related to later scenes, situations, and events in the story, as questions are related to answers. Call this erotetic narration. Such narration, which is at the core of popular narration, proceeds by generating a series of questions that the plot then goes on to answer.” 

Carroll argues that "page-turners" rely on a question-and-answer structure to keep readers engaged. Early in a story, questions are posed, and the narrative gradually provides answers. These questions can exist at every level of the story, from overarching mysteries to scene-specific dilemmas. How effectively these questions are asked and answered determines how engaging and cohesive the writing feels. 

 Questions in Horror Narratives 

In horror tales, a range of questions is typically raised, such as: 

- Who is the monster? 

- Why does it exist? 

- What does it want from the protagonist or the world? 

- Why does he haunt our characters?

- How can it be stopped? 

- How did it come into being? 

In the case of an overreacher plot, additional questions might include: 

- What will the scientist do with the creation? 

- Will the experiment succeed? 

- What does the creation want? 

- How can it be stopped? 

- Will the creator survive? 

Beyond these central questions, minor questions are also essential for maintaining suspense throughout the narrative. These might concern the protagonist's immediate well-being, what the villain or the monster know, whether a plan for escape succeed. 

These smaller, situational questions drive the story forward from scene to scene and chapter to chapter. Their resolutions provide revelations, escalate stakes, and feed into the larger, overarching questions of the narrative. By stringing together these major and minor questions, a horror plot—or any plot in a popular genre—advances organically and keeps the audience engaged. 

 Achieving Suspense 

Carroll explains that suspense hinges on the outcomes of the questions raised. Specifically, the likely outcomes must fall into one of two categories: 

1. A moral but unlikely outcome 

2. An evil but likely outcome 

Suspense arises when the narrative convinces the reader or viewer that only these two possibilities exist. By emphasizing that the odds are stacked against the protagonist—making failure seem likely and success improbable—suspense is effectively evoked. 

This point is debatable. Modern movies often generate suspense without strictly adhering to these outcomes. For example, a character might walk down a lonely street as tense music plays, unsettling the viewer. Suddenly, a cat jumps out of nowhere, startling everyone. In this scenario, suspense is created not because the viewer believes evil is likely, but because they don’t know what to expect. The viewer has been conditioned to feel apprehensive simply by virtue of watching a horror film—they expect the unexpected. 

While Carroll’s requirements may seem obvious, they’re still worth keeping in mind. Striking this balance of tension ensures that readers or viewers remain invested in the story, eagerly anticipating its resolution while dreading the potential consequences.

The Fantastic

The final section of Chapter 3 deals with category Carroll calls the fantastic. Here he discusses stories that may or may not  be horror. Turn of The Screw or even something like the Hound of Baskervilles.

Carroll writes: The trick to generating the fantastic—whether throughout the story as a whole (the pure fantastic) or only in some subsegment of it (e.g., the fantastic-marvelous)—is to keep the evidence as indecisive as possible. This indecisiveness must be woven into the fabric of the story. The narration, that is, must modulate the flow of information in such a way that the alternative hypotheses are advanced and sustained, or, at least, in such a way that both are advanced and neither is irretrievably undermined until the moment of discovery. Of course, in the pure fantastic neither alternative is ever satisfactorily defeated.

 

Chapter 4  

In the final chapter of The Philosophy of Horror, Carroll addresses the second paradox of horror: 

Why would anyone be interested in the genre to begin with? Why does horror persist?

Carroll acknowledges that much of his analysis so far has focused on the internal elements of the genre—its structures, themes, and conventions. However, this chapter shifts attention to a fundamental question: 

 “How can we explain horror’s very existence? For why would anyone want to be horrified—or even art-horrified?” 

Fascination and Curiosity 

To answer this, Carroll examines various theories about horror’s appeal before concluding that its popularity stems from two fundamental traits: fascination and curiosity. 

These traits, he argues, combine to make horror uniquely compelling. We are fascinated by the monsters—their inexplicability, their malevolence, their grotesque nature—and we are curious to see how they will be overcome, how the protagonists will survive. 

Carroll writes: 

 “What attracts us to this sort of horror—which seems to me the most pervasive—is the whole structure and staging of curiosity in the narrative, in virtue of the experience of the extended play of fascination it affords.” 

This interplay between fascination and curiosity lies at the heart of horror’s enduring appeal. 

Carroll also distinguishes horror from related genres like detective thrillers and disaster films. While these genres may rely on similar plot structures, they lack the specific fascination that horror offers. 

He explains: 

 “Detection thrillers and disaster films that mobilize analogous plot structures do not afford the same type of fascination and, therefore, are not exact substitutes for horror fictions. We seek out horror fictions because the specific fascination they afford is bound up with the fact that it is animated by the same type of object that gives rise to art-horror.” 

In essence, horror’s unique draw lies in its monsters and the art-horror they evoke—an emotional response rooted in fear, disgust, and awe. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Carroll’s conclusions, though seemingly straightforward, underscore key principles for creating effective horror: 

1. Capture the audience’s imagination through disturbing, compelling creations. 

2. Engage the audience with propulsive plotting, which raises questions and builds suspense. 

A good horror narrative not only horrifies but also captivates, keeping the audience invested in both the fate of the characters and the resolution of the story's mysteries.

Final Thoughts 

Summarizing a book as dense and exhaustive as *The Philosophy of Horror* in just a few paragraphs is no easy task. If my overview makes its insights seem obvious, then I’ve likely fallen short in conveying the depth and nuance of Carroll’s arguments. 

That said, I believe these notes can serve as a kind of checklist—a quick reference to keep in mind when crafting your next horror story. That’s how I use them. 

Ultimately, the success of your creation will depend on how well you execute each of the genre’s demands. It’s not just about understanding the principles but about bringing them to life in a way that resonates with your audience and draws them into the world of your tale.