In his chapter “Tales of the Hook” in Danse Macabre, Stephen King explores the genre of horror and why people enjoy it so much. Let's look at how he does this to help you get started on this assignment.

King begins by talking about the differences between horror (a type of fantasy) and science fiction. The lines are very blurred and fuzzy between these two genres, he explains. King also talks about the distinctions between terror, horror, and revulsion, illustrating each with a story. For your summery, you will want to talk a little bit about all of these definitions. As the chapter progresses, King asks us to consider what is so appealing about the horror genre, and he explores why people like it so much, speaking of both allegory and catharsis. You will want to talk about how that works.

In the analysis part of your paper, select a couple of King's points and dig into them in more detail. You might look, for instance, at King's brief history of the ups and downs of the popularity of horror over the decades, focusing on why horror works especially well in times of stress and not so well in easier periods. You could also explore the effectiveness of King's examples, the stories, books, and movies he refers to to support his points. Think about whether they work or not. Provide an overall statement about what King is trying to do in this chapter as well.

Finally, you will need to make connections. Think about your favorite horror books and movies and explain why you like them. Think about others that repulse you and why. You might focus here on King's ideas of “freaks” and relate them to experiences from your own life.