As a literary Slasher/Horror enthusiast, I spent many years investigating the manners in which horror or fear is delivered. I even break down fear appeals and moral panics in a long, tedious -dare I say, boring- chapter in my Thesis.
However, in this article, I take a much more fun and lighthearted approach to moral panics, and pair different communication types to famous (or infamous) horror and slasher monsters from Hollywood films and traditional creatures.
The four communication types (Direct, Initiating, Supportive, and Analytical) broken down below are as prescribed by the International Toastmasters since this article was derived from a speech I delivered to my local Toastmasters club. (We also break down Four Writing Styles here)
The Four Slasher Communication Types
Initiative Style communicators are energetic and enthusiastic.
Witches would fall in this category, the most famous of all being Maleficent.
Another creature that would fall into this realm would be Pennywise the clown with his outgoing fun-loving attitude. The way he stalks his victims with candy, smiles, and dreamy-like realities.
Another outgoing monster would be the law firm tycoon from Devil’s advocate with his mission-driven recruitment for an heir to the Devil’s throne.
The last example of this type of communicator is a local one. Recently there have been reports of a large cougar in the Carterville area, attacking small animals and chewing on horses. It’s hungry and outgoing, it’s nature.
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Supportive Communicators, on the other hand, are seen as quite the opposite of the initiative type.
They are calm and collected and listen more than they talk. They often engage the audience to listen to their views to receive feedback.
These monsters and creatures are subtle and almost unobservable. Imagine going to the Yucatan peninsula to get away from society. Your friends talk you into going on a hike to an unknown pyramid. What waits inside the pyramid is unhealthy vegetation that sneaks up on its visitors while they sleep, grows weak, and is trapped.
Another great listener in horror films would be the Sphere which is found at the bottom of the Ocean, inside a recovered ship. The Sphere listens and invites the guests inside of it, only to release the terror of each shipmate’s imagination.
A third example of a communicator that listens would be Candyman; you say his name three times and he appears to kill you, in a cool calm collected manner; it’s business as usual for this creole villain.
A definite good listener to add to this category would be the Mummy, sleeping for at least a thousand years at a time, only to be disturbed from its sleep. It sleeps until it’s awoken, and even yet, it’s slow and methodical with its revenge.
Direct Communicators are result-oriented and focused.
They tend to get straight to the point to achieve their goals. The first one to come to mind is Michael Myers. From his immediate escape from the psychiatric ward, he sets out for revenge, killing everyone and everything in sight. It doesn’t get more direct. Everyone knows where he is going and what results from what he is slashing for.
Continuing with slashers from the 70s and ’80s, I would say that Freddy, Jason Vorhees, and Chuckie are also very direct and focused with their Halloween goals.
Analytical Communicators are precise and cautious.
To me, what they say is often backed by evidence. They may come across as too serious so I feel that an injection of humor may be in order to make the presentation more acceptable.
This one took some deep thought to unfold, but alas, it was because this creature only comes out at night. The Vampire has been well calculated for hundreds if not thousands of years. They build communities and hierarchical structures, with subordinates and hidden communication systems. They are cautious when choosing future Vampires to roam the world for eternity alongside them.
In 1982, the world was introduced to the Thing. What was the thing exactly? It was some type of creature that was found frozen in the Antarctic. It was cut out of the ice and left out for inspection. But this creature broke out and wreaked havoc on the world. If you ask me, I would say this Thing planned to be discovered in the manner which it was, allowing it to present a sneak attack on humanity. It was well-calculated and precise.
I hope you have enjoyed this list of monsters in the community. We have learned different communication styles found in the killers within our imaginations. Not only that, we have a list of horror movies to watch over the weekend. Happy Trick or Treating everyone.
The article was written by Willy Martinez, writer, and publisher.
Mind on Fire Books 
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