Horror narrative

The scene can read as a non-graphic narrative centered on fear, unease, or threat.

Visual traits

• narrative sense of fear or unease
• sense of threat
• non-graphic expression

Expected changes

• The scene is more likely to read as a narrative centered on fear, unease, or threat.

Definition

Horror narrative is a narrative framework organized around fear, unease, or threat. It does not determine blood, violence, monsters, death, the supernatural, crime, or a particular culture or religion.

In more detail

It concerns a narrative structure in which fear, unease, or threat is central while remaining within safe, non-graphic expression. It does not require direct depictions of danger, bodily injury, violence, crime, monsters, death, or a supernatural cause. This broad framework does not associate a particular culture, religion, or its symbols with the source of fear.

Includes

• A narrative framework organized around fear, unease, or threat

Excludes

• Blood, violence, monsters, death, the supernatural, crime, or a particular culture or religion
• Associating a particular culture or religion with the source of fear

What this does not imply

• Blood, violence, monsters, death, the supernatural, crime, or a particular culture or religion

Variability

The intensity of unease, how threat is suggested, subjects, setting, lighting, and narrative development can be adjusted separately.

Usage

• Suggest narrative unease through soft shadows and an enigmatic atmosphere without adding harm or a specific threat

Distinguish similar expressions

• Specify violence, crime, monsters, the supernatural, or a particular culture or religion separately only when needed

Typical uses

• Compose scenes containing people, animals, unoccupied spaces, or landscapes as non-graphic narratives of fear, unease, or threat

Possible failure modes

• The result becomes graphic through blood or violence
• A monster, crime, or supernatural cause is added as a required source
• A particular culture or religion is fixed as a source of fear without support