The Debate About the Horror Genre as Appropriate to Children

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Everyone remembers the iconic 1980s movie Beetlejuice. This classic horror movie has been enjoyed by many kids and adults for years now. Beetlejuice is not the only iconic horror movie that is enjoyed by all age ranges. Gremlins another class favorite is enjoyed by both kids and adults alike. These classics are made for a young audience, this is because these classics teach young children important life lessons. The horror genre is completely appropriate for young children because, horror allows kids to learn to deal with their fears, learn about their strengths and weaknesses, and allows children to understand the real world.

To start off, the horror genre is completely appropriate for young children because horror allows kids to learn to deal with their fears. In source one, John Marsden, a child psychologist, said, “The reason we have the ability of fear is so that we can judge situations and make appropriate responses. If you take away that function from people, you make them less capable of existing efficiently and effectively in the world.” John Marsden hit the nail on the head with this statement. Without fear the human population would not function. Consequently, without horror stories geared to a younger audience, young children would not understand how to deal with fear. Besides allowing children to learn how to deal with fear, horror genre also allows young children to learn about themselves.

Another equally important reason why the horror genre is completely appropriate for young children is, horror allows young children to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. In source two, “5 Reasons Horror in Children’s Literature Is a Good Thing”, Paul Goat Allen, a genre fiction book reviewer, states “ By exploring the dark side of humanity and the nature of fear, kids learn more about themselves and hopefully come more empowered because of it.” Allen’s statement helps prove that the horror genre is completely appropriate for young children by allowing young children to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. If young children can become empowered by horror stories, then less young children will have huge amounts of fear or will understand were there fear lies. On top of the previous reasons, horror allows children to learn how to deal with fear and horror allows young children to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, horror also allows young children to understand the real world.

Moreover, the horror genre is completely appropriate for young children because it allows children to understand the real world. In source two, “5 Reasons Horror in Children’s Literature Is a Good Thing”, Paul Goat Allen, continues on to say” There are life lessons to be learned. Don’t invite a vampire into your house. Don’t take that shortcut through the cemetery. Staying out late and not telling your parents where you are can be dangerous. Walking into a forested area at night looking for a wayward pet is a bad idea. Don’t take candy from strangers.” Horror stories teach young children not to do some stupid things which helps them understand the real world. Like Allen mentioned not taking candy from strangers. By reading or watching the horror-based information, a young boy learns that if he takes candy from a stranger he could die or turn into a cat. Another example could be don’t take a shortcut through a dark or scary place. By being exposed to bad outcomes of this idea through the horror genre a young girl may make a better choice than to go down the dark and scary ally where she could have gotten robbed. Some may argue that the horror genre is inappropriate for young children because it desensitizes them. However, in source one, Marsden says” children are excellent self-censors, and simply put down books they find too scary.” Marsden’s statement helps prove the fact that young children know what is too horrific, for there enjoyment. This helps prove the point that the horror genre does not desensitizes young children since young children know their braking point on the fear scale.

To conclude, the horror genre is completely appropriate for young children. This is due to horror allowing children to learn to deal with their fears. As well as learning about their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the horror genre allows children to understand the real world. Therefore, the iconic 1980s movie Beetlejuice was created to inspire the ability to deal with fear, in courage an understanding of strengths and weaknesses, and lastly to help young children understand the world around them. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.