Narrative Structure in the Horror Genre

The common elements of a horror film narrative can include a nightmare on Halloween, alone in a dark house, the 'monster' who won't die, characters that could disappear at any moment, mystery and enigma and the element of surprise. 

Often horror narratives follow Aristotle's three-act narrative structure, which is re-purposed as follows:

1. The protagonist(s) encounters a threat.

2. The protagonist(s) struggles with the threat 

3. One of the protagonists (though usually not all of them) escapes the threat 

Todorov built upon Aristotle's three-act structure, outlining a five-act version, a narrative theory which can be applied to many films, and is common in the horror genre. Todorov believed that all films follow the same narrative pattern and that throughout the story the equilibrium (peace, balance) that is found at the beginning of the film is disturbed, resulting in a disequilibrium. The characters then acknowledge the disequilibrium and try to solve it, which results in a final state of a new equilibrium.

Step one is the initial equilibrium. At the beginning of the story the majority of the characters are content, the atmosphere is happy, everything is as normal and all the forces are balanced. 

Step two is the disequilibrium. The audience notice that an event is about to happen that is going to disturb the equilibrium. The equilibrium is disturbed, resulting in a disequilibrium. Sometimes horror narratives start here.

Step three is the acknowledgement. The characters within the film then begin to acknowledge that the equilibrium has been disturbed by an event that has taken place.

Step four is the attempt to solve the disequilibrium. The characters have now acknowledged that there has been a disequilibrium and as a result, they attempt to repair and solve it. Steps three and four make up the majority of the plot of horror films.

Step five is the final equilibrium. At the end of the story the characters have successfully restored the equilibrium or have created a new equilibrium (with the death or temporary defeat of the 'monster').

Throughout the story there are many attempts to restore or find a new equilibrium which is what drives the narrative, although the final equilibrium does not have to be the same as the initial equilibrium.

Below is an interesting article discussing the ways the horror film 'Get Out' conforms to the three-act narrative structure:

'Get Out' and the three-act narrative structure