Re-visioning the Undefinable: A Generative Rhetorical Analysis of Trauma Narratives in Horror Films

Abstract

Despite its being at the forefront of current cultural conversations, aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder remain murky, particularly regarding treatment. This thesis attempts to address that dearth in the literature by examining the relationship between PTSD, witnessing, and catharsis through a rhetorical analysis. Five horror films that center around traumatic narratives are analyzed. The study uses a generative methodology comprised of feminist criticism, metaphoric criticism, and original criteria rooted in humanist principles. The subsequent findings illuminate connections between rhetors’ intentions in creating potentially cathartic narratives, the process of their construction, and the elements embedded in the narratives.