Monster Taxonomy 101

Does every monster fit nicely inside a box? Or do monsters bend the rules, defy labels, and resist categorization? Maybe it’s actually a bit of both.

According to horror philosopher Noel Carrol, all monsters fall into one of 5 categories. These categories aren’t limiting. They aren’t about making the monster fit into our constructed reality. Monsters by nature live outside of that nature. These categories are more about helping us understand our own fears.

Here are the categories:

Fusion

A monster merged from two realms of life and is two things at once, such as a man that is also an alligator or a ghost that is both alive and dead.

Fission

A monster that is the same thing in more than one way. A transformation occurs and re-occurs.

Magnification

The size of the monster creates a threatening presence.

Massification

The number of monsters creates a threatening presence.

Horrific Metonymy

A monster that is not immediately or obviously threatening. Dracula is the classic example because he is charming on the outside but exudes an uneasy or strange aura that makes his surroundings creepy, repulsive, and dangerous. His presence creates a threat to the victim before his true intentions are even revealed.

What do you think? Does every monster fit into one of these 5 categories?