Literatura de terror: expressões do medo em O Cemitério, de Stephen King

Abstract

Horror, present in narratives since antiquity, has been used to evoke emotions and reflections in readers through fear. Considering the longevity of the genre in literature, this study aims to analyze the manifestation of fear in the characters Louis, Ellie, and Rachel Creed in Pet Sematary by Stephen King, based on the theory of the six progressive phases of the emotional cycle of fear (MIRA Y LÓPEZ, 2000). The objective of this research is to identify how fear is expressed in each character through narrative elements that highlight its various forms. To this end, the following specific objectives were established: (i) to analyze the narrative elements of the work; (ii) to identify the main behavioral, emotional, and cognitive characteristics that reveal fear in each character; and (iii) to map and discuss text excerpts that illustrate the phases of fear in the three characters. This qualitative, bibliographic study is grounded in research on fear, including its origins, causes, and typologies (MIRA Y LÓPEZ, 2000), as well as approaches to horror literature, such as those of Carroll (1999), Jeha (2007), King (2013a), and Lovecraft (2020). The findings indicate that fear manifests uniquely in each character, although it adheres to the progressive phases of the emotional cycle of fear. The results show that the six progressive phases of the emotional cycle of fear, proposed by Mira y López, are evident in the characters’ physical and psychological reactions, contributing to the development of the plot. Furthermore, the concept of “monster” differs for each character, being associated with both external entities and the characters’ internal fears.