Writing Excuses Episode 26: Horror

In 'Misery', bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued from a car accident by Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed number one fan. However, Annie's obsession turns violent when she discovers that Paul has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain, in his latest book. Annie keeps Paul captive in her isolated house, forcing him to write a new novel, 'Misery’s Return', to bring the character back to life. The novel explores themes of captivity, writer's block, and the dark side of fandom, as Paul struggles to survive Annie's brutal and unpredictable behavior.

"The Rats in the Walls" by H.P. Lovecraft is a chilling short story that delves into themes of ancestral horror and psychological descent. The protagonist, Delapore, inherits his family's ancestral estate in England, only to uncover a dark and disturbing history. As he renovates the estate, strange sounds emanate from behind the walls, suggesting a hidden and malevolent presence. Delapore's investigation leads him to a subterranean cavern filled with the bones of humans and animals, revealing a horrifying truth about his ancestors' cannibalistic rituals. The story explores the idea that the past can haunt the present and that some horrors are best left buried.

In 'The Mist', Stephen King crafts a terrifying tale of a small town in Maine shrouded in an unnatural mist. The story follows David Drayton and his son Billy as they take refuge in a supermarket, only to discover that the mist conceals deadly creatures. As tensions rise, the group must confront not only the external horrors but also the internal threat of a religious zealot, Mrs. Carmody, who preaches sacrifice as a means to appease God's wrath.

Published in 1892, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' is a pivotal work of feminist literature presented in the form of a series of journal entries written by an unnamed woman. The story delves into the themes of patriarchal control, the stifling nature of gender roles, and the consequences of denying women autonomy over their own lives. The protagonist, confined to a room by her physician husband, becomes increasingly obsessed with the yellow wallpaper, symbolizing her own feelings of oppression and entrapment. The narrative highlights the harm caused by the 'rest cure' treatment and the societal expectations that subordinated women during the Victorian era.