There is this really tight relationship between horror and
There is this really tight relationship between horror and shame. And shame is in all of my books as the biggest monster. And horror is all about creating a metaphor for something you can't face That connection is super powerful for me.
The words of Leigh Bardugo, “There is this really tight relationship between horror and shame. And shame is in all of my books as the biggest monster. And horror is all about creating a metaphor for something you can’t face. That connection is super powerful for me,” are not mere musings, but revelations of the human soul. She teaches that the darkest terrors do not always come from without, but from within, where the hidden wounds of the spirit lurk unseen.
The ancients knew that shame corrodes the heart more fiercely than any blade. It is a devouring monster, silent yet relentless, binding men and women in chains invisible. Bardugo reveals that horror, in its ghastly visions and dreadful apparitions, is but a mirror for these unseen chains. The ghosts, the beasts, the haunted shadows — all are signs pointing back to the soul’s own torment.
To craft metaphor is to clothe the unspeakable in form, to give shape to what the mind dares not behold directly. Thus, horror becomes the vessel of truth, carrying the unendurable into the realm of story, so that the heart may wrestle with its own hidden enemies. In this, she joins a lineage of seers who have long known that art is not only for delight, but for healing, for unmasking, for liberation.
And so Bardugo names her truest adversary: not the monster in the tale, but the shame that the monster embodies. In confessing this, she grants to future generations the wisdom that to confront horror is to confront the self. For the greatest power lies not in fleeing from the shadows, but in facing them, and by facing, being made whole.
HNDao Thi Hong Nhung
Leigh Bardugo’s quote about the link between horror and shame gives an insightful perspective on both genres. It suggests that the things we most need to confront—like shame—often hide in plain sight, manifesting in our worst nightmares. How does this idea of horror as a metaphor for things we can’t face change how we think about the genre? Do you think people use horror to process emotions they can’t confront in their waking life?
PPhuongDiem
I love how Leigh Bardugo ties horror to something as deeply personal as shame. It’s interesting that she refers to horror as a metaphor for things we can’t face. Isn’t that what makes horror so compelling for so many people? It’s the safe distance it offers to explore difficult emotions like shame, guilt, and fear. What do you think it is about horror that makes it such an effective tool for addressing these deeper, darker emotions?
TPNg Thu Phuong
This quote makes me think about how often horror stories reflect deeper, unspoken human emotions. Bardugo’s framing of shame as the ‘biggest monster’ is especially powerful because it suggests that what we are most afraid of isn’t always the supernatural—it’s our own internal struggles. How do you think horror stories, in general, reflect our collective anxieties about things we can't openly face or talk about, like shame or fear of failure?
DLNguyen Thi Dieu Linh
I find Leigh Bardugo’s exploration of shame as the ‘biggest monster’ in her work intriguing. It speaks to the idea that the things we’re most afraid to confront are often rooted in feelings of shame. Could it be that horror, in its many forms, serves as a vehicle to face these darker emotions that we avoid in real life? How can we reconcile horror's terrifying qualities with the more subtle, psychological horrors like shame?
NATran Ngoc Anh
Leigh Bardugo’s connection between horror and shame is compelling. Shame is such a powerful, often invisible force that can shape behavior and relationships, but it's not always addressed directly. By turning it into the biggest monster in her work, Bardugo is giving shame the attention it deserves. How much do you think horror as a genre serves to bring out the deep, hidden emotions that people often struggle to confront, like shame or guilt?