Fear is like onions: what are we afraid of?

Being scared is definitely horrible thing. Breath gets faster, pulse rises, hands start to sweat, sometimes you are on the verge of fainting... On the other side, many people like horrors. Some of them (like me) like the dark atmosphere usual horror works have. But probably most horror fans like the adrenaline rush being scared gives. Reading horror books, watching movies or playing games let us enjoy the experience without getting into actual danger. But why are horrors scary? What are we afraid of? Why are we afraid of it? I'll try to peel all the layers and see what's underneath fear.

Old? Yes. Relatable? As hell.

But first thing: why do we even need fear? Well, the answer is pretty easy and logical. Fear is quite important from evolutional point of view. Many things we are afraid of are, in fact, quite dangerous, which leads to avoiding them. Also, feeling of fear usually causes fight or flight response, very important while confronting extreme situations. This all let our ancestors survive. And, if something is useful for evolution, then it is preserved. Of course, there is a thing called "irrational fear", which means being afraid of things and situations that shouldn't scare us, but it's much more complex and dependant on psyche to talk about it now.

Okay, we know now fear is important part of our lives. So, ad rem: why are horrors so scary?

Let's start with a thing that appears in almost all horror works (and, to no one's surprise, is also connected to evolution!): darkness. Actually, it's one of the most basic things our ancestors were scared of and, though I'm not an evolution specialist, nor a psychologist, I think it's easy to explain why. Opposing to most predators, human is really shitty when it comes to functioning in the darkness, which made prehistoric people an easy prey for animals. Nowadays we don't have to worry about getting eaten, but we still are vulnerable without any source of light. Our vision, probably the most important sense, is weak and other senses don't compensate for it. Even fully armed, most people wouldn't be able to defend themselves in pitch darkness – they would end waving a weapon chaotically. Damn, we don't even need to be attacked to get harmed in the dark. Remember all these moments you tripped or bumped into something while going to the bathroom at night? Then you know what I mean.

Horror works usually use human's fear of darkness to build unsettling atmosphere. Because we associate dark places with danger, we know, we can expect epic shit when lights go out. We don't know when something will attack or, sometimes, what exactly will attack. This uncertainty is the worst. Also, human's mind often fills the blanks, so, when we can't see something, our imagination compensates for it and starts producing scenarios that are even worse than the reality. Sometimes even the most harmless things seem scary. Drowning everything in the darkness is probably the easiest way of invoking this.

Video games often utilise complete darkness in perfect way. You want to proceed, but are to scared to do so...

Another really popular thing used in horror works is uncanny valley. The term itself isn't related to horror, at least not only. The concept is quite simple: the more something (robot, doll, animated character etc.) resembles human, the more positively people react to it, but once it reaches the point it's almost perfectly human-like, but doesn't imitate it ideally, then this something becomes creepy. There are many explanations, what exactly causes this feeling, and my favourite one (and, I think, the most appropriate when it comes to perceiving horror works) is the one about clash of our expectations and reality. I mean, when something behaves more human, than it is expected to behave, then it causes uneasiness. It also works other way: if something looks like human, but doesn't behave like one, then it's uncanny.

Horror authors use uncanny valley in many creative ways. Sometimes only slightly deforming a creature, that otherwise is perfectly human, can give creeps. Audience will feel from the very beginning that something is off. Actually, I think that's why zombies are so scary: they look like people, they were once people... But they aren't. They don't think (mostly), can't communicate, move in very peculiar way... Horrible, isn't it?

Zombies link to other thing people often are scared of: death. We have no idea, what happens, after we die. Okay, human body decomposes, but what else? Is there any life after death? What about ghosts? Do they really exist? We don't know. And people are afraid of things they don't understand. On the other side, death is certain. Everyone dies, it's a law of nature. When this law is defied, then something is definitely wrong.

Horror works use death related motives in many different ways. Firstly, already mentioned zombies – dangerous, almost animal-like creatures, that used to be human. The more hideous the walking dead is, the better. Rotting corpse itself can give creeps, walking rotting corpse is terrifying. The situation can get even worse: walking rotting corpse of a person we used to know. Watching someone dear to us turn into disgusting, brain-eating monster is truly heartbreaking.

One-shot "Survival of the Dead" by Katsuhisa Kigitsu deals with this topic quite well, especially with psychological aspects.

Ghosts are even worse. I think everyone has heard at least once theory that ghosts come to world of living when they have an unfinished business. Said business is usually revenge. Now, let's think: death is something permanent and unavoidable. How much determined must a person be to bend it and come back from the dead? How much hate must they have? Isn't it scary?

Also, ghosts don't have mortal body, so they are much more difficult to get rid of. They can get everywhere. If they only roam around – it's unsettling, but pretty harmless. But if they have any powers, then they are nearly unstoppable. Remember Stephen King's "The Shining"? Personally, I think it's one of the best horror stories in the world. The fact characters can't fight their spiritual opponents only adds to already nightmarish situation they are in.

Actually, that's how we got to most effective way of invoking fear in audience: helplessness. When characters face dangerous situation, but can somehow deal with it, we are nervous, but hope for the best. Depriving us of the luxury of hope is the most cruel thing creators can do. Of course, there are people, who just shrug and wait with resignation for the worst, but they are minority. Let's be honest: it's hard to observe someone's demise while knowing nothing can be done, especially, when we are not sure how bad can everything get.

However, shoving characters in too many hopeless situations, instead of "Oh shit, I'm scared" reaction, produces "Shit, here we go again" one.

Horror video games are perfect medium when it comes to using helplessness (and, to be honest, scaring in general). Here the player is the helpless one. Of course, some of them give us some weapons, means of hiding and similar, but let's be honest: defending ourselves needs skill and, sometimes, almost impossible luck. If we lack this skill, we are doomed, if game doesn't like us, we are also doomed, if we lack skill and game doesn't like us... Well, you know. What I try to say is in video games we not only need a lot of courage to proceed through scary things, but also have at the back of our minds that the situation doesn't depend on us. Player is just a prey hunted by an unholy monster/vengeful ghost/eldritch abomination/put there whatever you are afraid of. Just a little. Helpless. Prey. Who wouldn't be scared shitless in a situation like that?

Of course, these aren't all methods of scaring the audience, I chose only the most basic and therefore common ones. Also, I'm aware they don't have to work on everyone. Some people are afraid of dying, others aren't bothered by it etc. There is also one thing we shouldn't forget: even the most effective scare gets completely useless when overused. At one point the viewer gets used to it. That's why the best horror creators don't show their all cards in the very beginning, but dose the dread.

Okay, I know throwing someone a jumpscare in the face is also effective and doesn't need any talent, but damn, where's the fun then?!






Image sources:
Meaning of fear: https://www.memecenter.com/fun/2381807/real-meaning-of-fear
"Layers of Fear 2" screenshot: https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/1029890/ss_057ee487a8b109529925ff80f4a8e3c3c721405b.jpg?t=1560523840
"Survival of the Dead": http://fanfox.net/manga/survival_of_the_dead/c000/3.html
Stretchy Pennywise: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1396484/mediaviewer/rm2094943488