 Horror/Scary: November 10, 2021 Issue [#11064] |
This week: Home town horror Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Quote for the week: "In small towns people scent the wind with noses of uncommon keenness."
~Stephen King |
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
Product Type: Toys & Games
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
|
|
Small towns and villages are a common setting for horror stories. Well known examples include "The Stepford Wives" by Ira Levin, Thomas Tryon's "Harvest Home," Stephen King's "It," and the movie "Halloween."
Many of Shirley Jackson's short horror stories happen in quirky small towns. The most famous of these stories is "The Lottery," which centers around a deadly custom that the residents of the small town think is normal and necessary. The main characters in many of Jackson's stories are women, often new residents of a strange small town where they really don't fit in. Ms. Jackson's small town settings often feature a character named James Harris, or a family with the last name of Harris. These characters are often villainous, negative, or judgmental. The author may have been paying homage to an old Scottish ballad in which a young wife and mother is enticed away from her family by a man named Jamie Harris, who is actually the devil in disguise.
Small towns are a great setting for horror, because they are supposed to be safe. Many city dwellers dream of escaping the crime and dangers of urban areas by moving to a small town. Evil characters and their activities seem so much worse when they occur in a place people assume is safe. When a murder, kidnapping, or rape happens in a small town, resdidents are often quoted as saying, "Things like that don't happen here."
The belief that nothing bad happens in small towns often leads residents to become complacent about safety and crime prevention. People often leave doors unlocked and even leave the keys in their cars, which would be unheard of in a more populated area.
If a small town is a long way from other populated areas, strange or horrible activity might occur there for years without anyone from the outside knowing what is going on. Isolation might also make it more difficult for characters in a small town horror story to get help or escape.
Louise Penny handles the small town setting in the opposite way. Most of her stories are set in or near a small town named Three Pines, Quebec. Penny's stories are more mystery than horror, but some very distubing events do happen. Three Pines serves as a refuge from all the bad or negative things that might happen in the story. I know it isn't a real place, but I would love to live there!
Something to try: Write a horror story set in a small town. |
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#2209859 by Not Available. |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B07K6Z2ZBF |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99
|
|
| Question for next time: What subjects would you like to see in future horror newsletters? |
| ASIN: B01CJ2TNQI |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 5.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
This printed copy is for your personal use only. Reproduction
of this work in any other form is not allowed and does violate its copyright. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
