Supernatural in American Fiction Essay - 2928 Words

Supernatural in American Fiction The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. Therefore, it makes sense that if mortals cannot bear the darkness, they [should not] not go there. If man dislikes black night and yawning chasms, then should he not even consider them? Shouldnt man seek out the sunshine, instead? The remedy is very simple: Avoid the darkness and seek the light. But, no. Mankind would never submit to this. He will immediately turn to the darkness. Drawn by his own cords of fear and longing, man will imagine that he is tired of the light and his small, familiar world.3 No amount of rationalization... or Freudian analysis can overcome†¦show more content†¦The Great Lakes Ghost Hunters Society and the Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan are just two of the organizations that supposedly embrace the unknown, even claiming to have documentation of floating orbs [and] ethereal specters.10 Armed with video cameras, sophis ticated recording equipment, and an undying belief in the inexplicable,11 the ranks of the ghost hunters are growing. This is most likely due to the fact that American society is [inching] ever closer to embracing phenomena that science [cannot] answer.12 Even highly esteemed academic publications such as the Journal of Scientific Exploration now treat the paranormal with as much respect and analysis as physics or the chaos theory.13 The possibility of life existing on other worlds has been the subject of speculation for years.14 In May, 1988, NASA began using a super computer that is intended to pick up signals from any distant civilizations.15 Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI, has launched many projects over the years, but has yielded nothing so far.16 Despite the lack of evidence, many Americans have no doubt that aliens exist. This is the result of their belief system. Whether somethings really there or not may be irrelevant,17 because many Americans tend to fall back on faith. [Jill Cook Richards] is twenty-eight years into a career as a self-describedShow MoreRelatedIn Storm Of The Century By Stephen King Analysis1014 Words   |  5 Pagesknown for his great eye for detail, many of his stories contains similar such as: secondary characters, fictional towns, or cross-references to other similar events from previous books that he has written. King’s stories tend to reference American history and/or American culture. For instance, King is known for taking the dark side of history and infusing it in a sci-world. This essay will focus on of horror aspect that is founded in Stephan King most famous piece such as Carrie, The Shinning, miseryRead MoreThe American Gothic in The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe1539 Words   |  7 Pagesnew genre o f literature in America; the American Gothic. 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