Dealing with reader knowledge

Dealing with Reader Knowledge by Wen Spencer Is it really stupid to go down into the basement with whatever light source you can find? Think about, you re sitting at home and the lights go off. What s wrong? You could just sit there and hope the lights... More

Dealing with Reader Knowledge by Wen Spencer Is it really stupid to go down into the basement with whatever light source you can find? Think about, you re sitting at home and the lights go off. What s wrong? You could just sit there and hope the lights come on, or you start trying to find the nearest light source. Ah here s a flashlight. Cool. Turn it on. Now what? Well, is it just your house or the whole neighborhood? Hmmm, looks like just your house, so possibly you blew a fuse. Down into the basement you go to see if flipping the circuit breaker will work. Typical life. Why, then, do we think characters in a horror movie are so stupid to do the same? Because WE KNOW what s down in the basement waiting for them. We know that this is a horror movie. We know that there s a killer on the loose. We know BAD things happen in basement. Only an idiot would go down and try to get the lights on. Consider this situation: Hannibal the Cannibal walks into a flower shop where the her Less