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Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step 1: Understand the Assignment

This paper requires you to explore and analyze themes related to horror, monsters, and the moral imagination in various sources. You will be drawing from five sources to create a cohesive analysis across different perspectives. Your sources include works by Stephen King, Stephen T. Asma, Susan Tyler Hitchcock, Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan, Peter H. Brothers, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. You will integrate these perspectives to explore why certain themes, particularly horror, fascinate us.

Step 2: Read the Sources

Before writing your paper, take time to carefully read each of the following sources:

1. “Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Stephen King
2. “Monsters and the Moral Imagination” by Stephen T. Asma
3. “Conception” by Susan Tyler Hitchcock
4. “Why Vampires Never Die” by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
5. “Japan’s Nuclear Nightmare: How the Bomb Became a Beast Called Godzilla” by Peter H. Brothers
6. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Note the key points and themes in each reading, particularly those related to the concept of horror, monsters, and moral imagination.

Step 3: Identify Key Themes

As you read, pay attention to the recurring themes and ideas that emerge. For example, Stephen King discusses the psychological reasons behind our attraction to horror movies, while Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein delves into the creation of monstrous beings and the moral dilemmas surrounding them. Make note of the following key themes:

• The human fascination with fear and monsters
• The moral and philosophical implications of creating or encountering monsters
• The cultural significance of monstrous figures, such as vampires and Godzilla

Step 4: Develop Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should summarize the main argument of your paper. Based on your readings, you might argue that horror films and stories about monsters offer a way to confront our fears, explore moral dilemmas, and reflect on cultural anxieties. A potential thesis could be:

“Through horror movies and monstrous narratives, we explore the complexities of fear, morality, and the human condition, which is reflected in works from King’s musings on horror films to Shelley’s Frankenstein and del Toro’s discussions of vampires.”

Step 5: Organize Your Paper

Structure your paper as follows:

Introduction

• Introduce the central idea of horror, monsters, and moral imagination.
• Provide a brief overview of the sources you will analyze.
• End the introduction with your thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1: Why We Crave Horror Movies

• Summarize Stephen King’s argument in Why We Crave Horror Movies.
• Analyze King’s view on the psychology of fear and why humans enjoy being scared.
• Relate King’s ideas to other readings in terms of why we are fascinated with monsters and horror.

Paragraph 2: Monsters and the Moral Imagination

• Discuss Stephen T. Asma’s exploration of the moral and philosophical dimensions of monsters.
• How does Asma connect the idea of monsters with the human psyche?
• Compare his ideas to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, where the monster embodies moral conflict.

Paragraph 3: Vampires, Godzilla, and Cultural Monsters

• Analyze Why Vampires Never Die by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, focusing on their views of the vampire as a cultural symbol.
• Explore Peter H. Brothers’ argument about Godzilla and its connection to the horrors of nuclear warfare.
• Examine how these cultural monsters reflect societal fears and moral dilemmas.

Paragraph 4: Frankenstein and the Creation of Monsters

• Discuss Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in terms of the monster’s creation and the moral questions it raises.
• Relate Shelley’s work to the concept of moral imagination and the consequences of playing God.

Conclusion

• Recap the main points from the body paragraphs.
• Restate the thesis in light of the discussions in your paper.
• Conclude by reflecting on how horror and monsters continue to captivate our imaginations and reveal deeper truths about human nature and morality.

Step 6: Integrate Sources

Make sure to integrate at least five sources throughout your paper:

1. Quotes and ideas from each reading should be used to support your analysis.
2. Use in-text citations in APA format when referencing these sources.

Step 7: Revise and Edit

• Review your paper for clarity, coherence, and logical flow.
• Ensure each paragraph supports the central argument.
• Check for grammar, punctuation, and APA formatting.

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