reader is left to his or her imagination as to what the dreaded thing is. Soley relying on natural events and occurrences allows the reader to build from his or her own experiences a reasonable idea of what is happening, and that which is familiar or at least known is less horrific. A Rose for Emily shows this well, for while Faulkner does not outright say what went on between Ms. Emily and her deceased love, it is easy for the reader to come to a definite conclusion about what went on. In The Call of Cthulu however the reader cannot exactly tell what will happen nor form a definite conclusion about Cthulus slime-covered world or even exactly what Cthulu himself looks like. Poes work The Fall of the House of Usher uses the supernatural to obtain this sense of foreboding mystery, and it plays an important part the success of the story. This element of the unknown increases the effectiveness of nearly any piece of horror. Another factor which makes the supernatural such a potent element in horror is that it allow for the creation of things to evil to exist in this world. Cthulu is such an evil creation, one which is undoubtedly evil. This increased freedom for the author is another reason why the supernatural is so effective.In conclusion, the use of the supernatural in horror can prove to be extremely successful. While many pieces of acclaimed horror writings do not contain elements of the supernatural, those works which best impress upon the reader a sense of horror often do to some extent. Whether it be the basis for a story or a smaller element of it, the supernatural is an import part of any truly terrifying horror story....
