Horror In World War Z

Horror is able to face serious issues in a way that allows us to analyze the situation with a bird’s eye view. Zombies, vampires, wolves, and all other horror tropes are exaggerated and entertaining reflections of our human world and the problems in it. World War Z examines the fear of giant corporations, something many people worry about in our modern world. Horror is often so absurd that on the surface we are purely intrigued by the imaginary creatures with their made up problems. Underneath the Hollywood glamor, horror forces us to face very real situations that are not that far from the world we are living in. Vampires represent the fear of human sexuality and desire. Zombies warn us against group think, what happens when we become brainless.
Furthermore, at what point is someone considered human, especially when it comes to family members? Werewolves concern us because they personify what may be our biggest fear, losing control of ourselves. In Arkham Asylum, Batman and the readers are forced to examine their own mental state. What is the difference between insanity and a really good façade? Horror reflects the fears of people at that time. It can target specific fears throughout time with the same motifs. Defining and redefining the rules about what it means to be “the others.” For example, the difference between what it means to be a vampire in Dracula versus Fledgling are vastly different. There are similar rules, but then some rules contradict rules in other vampire books. The author of the story is allowed a wide berth to define what horror is to them. The idea of those who are different is at the center of all horror. Ultimately, those who have their agency and are considered the most human are typically the heroes who must fight the otherness. Stories such as Breathers give us a different perspective. In that book readers see life through the eyes of the others. Sympathy forms for those who are historically painted as the bad guys. Horror is edgy. It allows us to joke and make crude comments about serious subjects. Consequently, this allows us to deal with scary things in a light hearted way. We can laugh about slaughtering someone or something. A huge theme throughout all horror is sexuality. Due to horror’s absurd nature, sexual taboos seem to fit right in with reanimated corpses and blood drinking maniacs. Horror makes us question what we know and why we believe certain things. Simply stated, horror gives the freedom to explore our fears in a safe, entertaining, and even comical way.