Not only is Stephen King’s essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, a biasedsample, but it also appeals to population and emotion. To further explain why we cravehorror movies, King argues that “we are all mentally ill” (345). He expresses that we allmake an independent decision to buy a movie ticket and sit in a theatre. King goes on theto explain our mental insanity through examples, such as, “sick jokes” (347). Accordingto King, these “sick jokes” prove our insanity and our need to release that insanitythrough watching horror films.
Although King does offer valid points and relative evidence that support hisarguments, the points only pertain to a certain portion of the population. What about thepeople who don’t crave horror movies, or the ones who do not fit into the, we, of Why WeCrave Horror Movies? There are many individuals who would object to the insanity ofwatching a movie that could possibly keep them from sleeping at night. Such individualsmay be quite disturbed reading this essay, wondering how they got dragged into thisstereotype of these human beings. King states, “The potential lyncher is in all of us”(346). Is it really though? The mention of everyone having that same personality traitembedded somewhere in their personality makes one question their identity. King isappealing to emotion here, failing to realize that there are many people who would ratherbe somewhere else, rather than in a huge, dark room watching a movie they will be
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scared to walk out of, because of the things that they‘ve just witnessed.
While appealing to population King also appeals to the emotions of his readers. Indoing so King suggests that the movies that we watch suit the way …
…vely to lack attention given to them. King lures his readers in by using anissue that is relative. By doing this, it automatically makes that reader think into thepossibilities of all humans’ sanity, or lack thereof.
“Why We Crave Horror Movies” includes valuable evidence that backs up itsargument that “We are all mentally ill”. However, its argument would not be subject toopposition if it were specifically directed towards horror film viewers. King’s failure tospecify his audience, falsely accuses some of his readers. While his argument of humaninsanity is justifiable, his argument generalizes, appeals to emotions, appeals topopulations, and his are opinions are biased because Stephen King, himself, enjoys horrormovies.
Works CitedKing, Stephen. “Why We Crave Horror Movies.” One Hundred Great Essays. Ed. RobertDiyanni.
