Horror: A study on Clive Barker part 24, The Forbidden.

Welcome to part 24 of my study on Clive Barker. Today, we will be looking at his short story 'The Forbidden.'

For those who have seen the movie 'Candyman,' 'The Fordibben acts as the basis of the movie. The Forbidden tells the story of Helen, a college student, and her investigation into a run-down apartment complex and the use of bizarre graffiti that is been spray painted all across the complex.

During her investigation, Helen hears rumors about a couple mysterious murders, but, no matter how hard she tries to find an actual witness, she is unable to and begins to wonder if the murders ever occurred to begin with.

Eventually, Helen comes face to face with a figure who calls himself the Candyman (the bizarre images painted across the complex are pictures of him.) He offers Helen a chance to become a 'rumor' like himself, hence making her immortal. At first, she refuses, but at the end of the story, as she is burned alive after making a terrible mistake, she takes him up on his offer.

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There is a really cool, complexed idea that occurs in this story that I would LOVE to explore in my own writing.

Did Candyman give birth (commit) to the murders, or did the rumors about the murders give birth to Candyman? The idea of what came first, the monster or the murders is explored a lot in this story, and I just love the idea. It is basically a what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Also, I find it creepy when stories use bizarre and unsettling graffiti. It gives the supernatural a gritty/urban feel to it. These are two ideas I will be using -not sure how- in my own works in the future.

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This concludes my look at The Forbidden. If you have a thought or a question, please leave a like or comment!

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