Because Halloween is around the corner, the next few tropes will explore the creepy, the scary, and the downright spooky. Enjoy!
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Jill raises her torch before she steps into the cave. It's hard to see, but she must find the sacred stone-thing to save her father. There's just one problem - her feet gets stuck to the floor. She's trapped in an enormous web. The thing that made it is close ... and hungry ...
*Warning: This is a spider post - continue at your own creepiness*
The Giant Spider - a creature trope that is, in fact, a giant spider. Size is relative, however, depending on the size of the protagonist. A popular choice among early and modern B-movie fair, but also frequently prevalent in works of fiction, fantasy in particular. Because spiders are among the strongest of human fears, it's not surprising that The Giant Spider continues to make an occasional appearance. Something has to be said about creep factor.Why are these spiders giagantic? Any number of reasons can apply: a science experiment gone wrong, it's lived for a super long time, and when I said size is relative, I meant it. Most characters are bigger than spiders, after all ... but what if your character happens to be a mouse? Case in point.
Look out, Mrs. Brisby!
Not all Giant Spiders are evil. They might be wise and someone's pet. They can't, however, be responsible for their hungry offspring.
That moment when you mourn what tried to eat you.
And who can forget Shelob from Lord of the Rings, the famous Giant Spider that (arguably) started it all. I'd be a goner, for sure.
N-n-nice g-g-giant s-s-spider! ...
I've yet to use this trope myself, although I have one planned for a prequel to Dragon's Heart. It's certainly not a trope you want to treat lightly or throw it in for scare value, but like any storytelling device, when done right, it can enhance the story and give it a timeless effect. Or, as is the case here, make people really squeamish.
Ever used The Giant Spider? Would you ever dream of using it? Are you afraid of spiders? What are you going as for Halloween?
I'm David, and "Heeeeellllllp mmmmeeeeeee!"
This movie still gives me nightmares ...
No spiders yet. Not eve space spiders. Guess my worlds reside in a big free zone.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I've used a giant spider yet. Maybe it's time to start.
ReplyDeleteYES!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can finally say I'm using one of the tropes featured here. I DO have a big giant spider in my book coming out early next year.
But my huge spider is made of iron and runs on steam.
Ah! Nice one. That means you've applied the giant spider sub-trope ... The Spider Tank! :)
DeleteI've used a giant spider, but it's one of those teenage exaggerations when the thing is actually miniscule and the boyfriend must come to the rescue with his shoe!
ReplyDeleteAnd um.... what the heck is that last pic???? Yikes!
It's The Fly. It's a classic. If you want a good creep-out movie for Halloween, check it out. :)
DeleteHelp me............
DeleteI had a giant spider in my dream last night. A flying one. I didn't remember until just now. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI love spiders, and I used to have a pet tarantula. :)
I am so excited for Halloween! I'll be rocking a BSG double tank uniform. Squeeee.
I did have a spider feature in a short story I wrote a few years back. It was called The First Pet. It wasn't a good story. Maybe I ought to go back and do re-write?
ReplyDeleteI love spiders by the way. I would have one as a pet but it would freak my other half out.
And then there's Spiderman. ;)
ReplyDeleteNo giant spider in my wip, but does a giant cockroach/plant creature count?
ReplyDeleteClose - that's more of a Big Creepy Crawly trope. Crossed with a plant, though? I'm intrigued! :)
DeleteI'm not scared of spiders....well I would be if I met Shelob which would've sent me flying for the hills. Wasn't it Kafka's Metamorphosis that produced a giant fly? Ewwww...Actually I'd be more scared of a giant rat.
ReplyDeleteI cannot do spiders. I promoted my son to co-man of the house about two years ago purely to have someone whose job was to kill anything with more than four legs that tried to enter my house.
ReplyDeleteNo giant spiders, thank you! I'm so glad I didn't read this post late at night. Yikes, now I can't get the image out of my head.
ReplyDeleteI have a web left by a creature in my book, The Waiting Booth. The material of the web is acidic and deadly.
ReplyDeleteSuper fun post! I'm not super afraid of spiders...it's crickets that completely freak me out (don't ask me why; it makes no sense). :-)
ReplyDeleteDon't think I'm likely to use spiders, especially giant ones, they kinda freak me out!
ReplyDeleteI think giant spiders actually started in The Hobbit. You can't have a real fantasy series without a giant spider somewhere. The only exception is Narnia.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I need to work one into my series at some point.
Lol. Great post. I happen to like spiders- they keep the mosquitoes away!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely anti-spider when it comes to anything I write or even want to vaguely visualize. I don't know about these images-- no nap for me today. I'd be afraid to shut my eyes.
ReplyDeleteEeewwwww!!!!! You know, I couldn't even make myself look at the pics??? I'm totally freaked out by spiders. *shudder*
ReplyDeleteI'd say "great post" but really, don't ever do a spider post again ;)
I'm kind of afraid of spiders. There was a barn spider in the kitchen once and I let it scurry off because I was afraid to get close to it. I would consider using the trope, though!
ReplyDeleteIt really does need to be well done in story. I haven't figured out yet how to put them in my fantasy. Of course, I could have someone's pet tarantula scare off intruders in my women's fiction, right?
ReplyDelete.....dhole
It's funny, but I'm known to be pretty fearless, but spiders are the thing for me. I have a rough outline in my drawer of a futuristic story with giant spider like aliens.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the spiders in The Hobbit movie.
I'm not scared of spiders. I think if you have a giant spider in a story, it has to be done really, really well, otherwise people just think, "Really? Another giant spider? *yawn*"
ReplyDeleteI doubt I'll ever use the giant spider trope, but I do have one story with robot sharks!
I really liked the Widow in the Web that was used in the very old fantasy movie: Krull (I wish that movie could get remade with a better cast and a better story). If you haven't seen it, the Widow is a woman who was very beautiful who was sentenced to live out her life in the middle of this spider web because she murdered her own child. I don't know how exactly she got fed or anything. Maybe the spider did that for her. But she basically had powers to be able to see anywhere on the planet.
ReplyDeleteI saw your comment over on Donna's blog. I hope you go with a Big Six Publisher, David. Your work is so mainstream that it deserves a huge marketing push behind it (as only the Big Six can do).
The Hobbit had giant spiders before even Shelob of Lord of the Rings.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I said "arguably," since those spiders were descendants of Shelob. We can go further back with Ungoliant, but we gotta start somewhere. :)
DeleteI guess I'm a little weird but I never really minded spiders. In fact, I find some of them fascinating! I do admit though that I have never seen any of these movies. Maybe that's why :)
ReplyDeleteI have never used a giant spider, no. I have used tiny spiders though :) And I personally am a spider fan, though I must admit the Hunstsman spiders creep me out a little. A spider as big as your hand? Giant enough for me. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy family has a resistance to spider bites (I've been bitten by black widows, brown recluses, and hobos with no ill effects) so there's no real fear for me when dealing with spiders. I find them fascinating. I use to keep a pet brown recluse but my roommates made me get rid of her when she had babies...and they escaped the jar I kept Shelob (my spider) in...and our apartment became temporarily infested with brown recluses...
ReplyDeleteI'm not even reading this, I'm skimming to the comments and making sure none of the pictures are showing. I'm a big wuss when it comes to this trope! AHHHH! *hides*
ReplyDelete