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Sasha Evans
English 1102/ K. Redding
Composition 1
9 June 2016
The Fear Within Us All
Andrew J. Hoffman wrote the book Monsters to make students and instructors question
their knowledge of monsters. Throughout the book, we are asked many questions that challenge
our brains. We are constantly being tested with questions; for example, such as why do we as
humans create monsters? The essays in this book allow us to gain a deeper knowledge of how
monsters came about and how they relate to human culture. Stephen Kings essay Why We
Crave Horror Movies and Stephen T. Asmas Monsters and the Moral Imagination help
answer some of the questions we have formed throughout reading this book. In their essays Both
authors are arguing for a similar purpose. They are both suggesting that we use monsters and
horror as a way to express our emotion of fear.
Stephen King is a very popular writer in the horror department. when it comes to horror.
He has written many horror stories, many of which have been made into movies. His Throughout
the essay, Why We Crave Horror Movies, is featured in this book King makes many good
arguments as to why we enjoy horror films. He believes that horror films are a way to release the
ease off of our inner monster that we are hiding away. These films have a use purpose; to make
us express our evil emotions. King starts off the essay arguing that we are mentally ill (16). He
is suggesting that people who enjoy horror films are just messed up in the head (16). People that
fear something will still go and see a horror film based around that whatever it is that they are

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afraid of. We are putting ourselves in the position to be scared. When we walk into that a theatre,
we are prepared to be frightened. Why do we pay money to go home terrified of something
hiding under our the bed? Or someone hiding in our the closet? Its part of daring the
nightmare (King 16). According to King, some reasons are simple and obvious (16). Its like to
showing your strength; by watching a horror film, you a person is are proving that you he or she
can handle it. Even if the film is you are completely terrified terrifying, you still challenged
yourself to see if you could sit and watch the whole thing. There is a sense of accomplishment
after making it through a horror movie. King compares horror films to riding a roller coaster. We
ride roller coasters for fun even if though they are terrifying. Some people get the same
enjoyment from by scaring themselves while watching a horror movie. King argues that we go
and see scary movies to feel more normal (16). Seeing a repulsive monster feed gnawing on
human flesh is definitely not normal. Yes, scary; but not normal. King states, No matter how far
we may be removed from the beauty of a Robert Redford or a Diana Ross, we are still light years
away from true ugliness (16). Horror films bring out our young, dark, side. We all have a
twisted side, If we are all insane, then sanity becomes a matter of degree (King 17). People
enjoy watching evil things happen acts occur in movies, but if anyone was to attempt to do the
same in real life, its a different story. These films appeal to the worst part of us, which is why we
are compelled to watch them. King believes that if we get all of these bad emotions out through
watching horror films, we can remain sane.
Stephen T. Asma, a professor of philosophy at Columbia College Chicago, wrote the
essay Monsters and the Moral Imagination. As well as Just like King, he is arguing that these
monsters serve a purpose. These monsters are testing us. They are testing our level of morality.

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Some bad people out there do not have morals, making them do monstrous things. The things we
see in our horror films scare frighten us; most of which are not possible, but some have actually
occurred. Thats when it gets frightening. Most of The monsters in our minds are not even real,
we create these images of monsters in our heads. They play with our imagination and emotions,
Monsters can stand as symbols of human vulnerability and crisis, and as such they play
imaginative foils for thinking about our own responses to menace (Asma 62). Then again, we
have real monsters in todays society, such as serial-killers. For example, Serial-killers Yes, they
are out there. Asma argues that part of our fascination with serial-killer monsters is that we are
vulnerable to sadistic violence (62). As humans, No one ever enjoys feeling vulnerable. You
Some one in todays world may not ever face up against a zombie, but that does not mean you
will never encounter some type of monster in your lifetime. Asma points out that people may
cross paths with rapists, robbers, and even assaulters (63). Those kinds of monsters are
unpredictable and we still like to be prepared for an encounter. People face monsters like these
every single day, yet some say that monsters are becoming a thing of the past. Asma disagrees,
Its a permanent player in the moral imagination because human vulnerability is permanent
(63). We will never forget about imaginary and/or real monsters and the their effect they have on
our emotions.
These two essays help us to understand why monsters are so important. They explain the
emotion of fear. They scare us into being prepared for the worst. We have to let fear pour out of
us at some point, whether we are watching a horror film or preparing for the zombie apocalypse.
This entire book is all about discovering where monsters came from, what they are, why we are
attracted to them, and why we all have our own inner monster. These two essays help explain

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why monsters appeal to us and where they come from within us. They are valuable to our
knowledge because we have a better understanding of why we fear what we are afraid of.
Monsters have been around for quite some a long time and they arent going anywhere.

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Works Cited
King, Stephen. Why We Crave Horror Movies. Monsters. Bedford/St. Martins.
Asma, Stephen T. Monsters and the Moral Imagination. Monsters. Bedford/St. Martinss.