Dissecting Body Horror: Essays on Violation and Meaning (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781476699691)

Body horror taps into one of our greatest fears: that something will happen to our body to disfigure us and/or cause insufferable pain. Works of literature and film have explored this topic in ways that are often psychologically disturbing and grotesque, necessitating a strong stomach. Yet this subgenre has attracted legions of fans not in spite of the gruesomeness, but because of it.

Delving into the complex array of emotions that readers and viewers of body horror experience, this essay collection picks apart examples of body horror in film, literature, and even video games, leaving the reader pondering the reality behind the fiction. From critiquing the patriarchy to examining religious authoritarianism, essays provide an in-depth exploration of how body horror presents social commentary and symbolic meaning hidden under layers of what might first appear to be merely gore and sensationalism. This book will help readers understand that body horror does more than evoke disgust; it exposes the maladies that threaten and exploit our very humanity.