Keeping it in the Family

Horror can be found in almost every medium in popular culture, especially in literature, cinema and legend, but why is it so pervasive, and how do writers create fear? Examining the techniques behind domestic horror in contemporary fiction, this text discusses the rich heritage of the genre, explores the figure of the monstrous mother and father, and the important role of defamiliarisation in creating authentic horror within safe spaces. In the first chapter of Kin, the author then uses the techniques discussed in the essay to build an unsettling world framed within a suburban household, whilst attempting to confront the problematic representation of women within Horror literature.