--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Horror fiction] shows us that the…" description: "\"[Horror fiction] shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion.\" — Clive Barker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/clive-barker-773_believe_horror-fiction-shows-us-that-the-control_1093348.png" --- # \[Horror fiction\] shows us that the control we believe we… ![“[Horror fiction] shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion.” quote by Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/clive-barker-773_believe_horror-fiction-shows-us-that-the-control_1093348.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/clive-barker-773_believe_horror-fiction-shows-us-that-the-control_1093348.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1be/clive-barker-773_believe_horror-fiction-shows-us-that-the-control_1093348.png) > “\[Horror fiction\] shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion.” [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We think we control life, but chaos constantly threatens our sense of order. **In simple terms:** Control is an illusion, chaos is always near. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt quickly. Themes control illusion chaos existential fiction Mood uneasy reflective tense Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - reading horror - watching horror movies - creative writing - risk assessment - mental resilience Key Concepts existentialism psychology fear uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when you feel control slipping? - What strategies help you stay grounded amid uncertainty? A Different Perspective Chaos can be overwhelming, leading to paralysis if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Oblivion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Horror shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/horror-shows-us-that-the-control-we-believe-we-have-is-purely-illusory/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [At best you can hold death at bay, you can pretend it isn't there; but to deny it totally is a sickness. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/at-best-you-can-hold-death-at-bay-you-can-pretend-it-isn-t-there-but/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Good horror fiction deals with taboos. It must always go to the limits of what is acceptable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/good-horror-fiction-deals-with-taboos-it-must-always-go-to-the-limits/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I think that horror fiction is one of the ways to approach these problems of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-think-that-horror-fiction-is-one-of-the-ways-to-approach-these/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [There's two kinds of evil that horror fiction always deals with. One kind is the sort of evil that comes from inside people, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/there-s-two-kinds-of-evil-that-horror-fiction-always-deals-with-one/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Nothing, I had come to believe by the end, was more illusory than the idea of ending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nothing-i-had-come-to-believe-by-the-end-was-more-illusory-than-the/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“The standards for horror fiction should be no less than those for 'serious literary' fiction in which originality of concept, depth of characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-standards-for-horror-fiction-should-be-no-less-than-those-for/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“The heroes of urban fantasy come out of the hard-boiled mystery, while the villains, monsters, and antagonists have their own roots in classic horror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-heroes-of-urban-fantasy-come-out-of-the-hard-boiled-mystery-while/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I think film had a terrible effect on horror fiction particularly in the 80s, with certain writers turning out stuff as slick and cliched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poppy-z-brite/i-think-film-had-a-terrible-effect-on-horror-fiction-particularly-in/) [Poppy Z. Brite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poppy-z-brite/) > [And the great appeal of horror fiction through the ages is that it serves as a rehearsal for our own deaths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-king/and-the-great-appeal-of-horror-fiction-through-the-ages-is-that-it/) [Steven King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-king/) > [Best-selling horror fiction is indeed necessarily conservative because it must entertain a large number of readers. It’s like network television. 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I've written nonfiction things of that nature, but I'm probably best known for crime fiction and, to some extent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/i-ve-been-writing-since-1973-i-ve-written-nonfiction-things-of-that/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [I think if you looked at the kind of ebb and flow of supernatural fiction and horror fiction, it does seem to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-koryta/i-think-if-you-looked-at-the-kind-of-ebb-and-flow-of-supernatural/) [Michael Koryta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-koryta/) ## More by Clive Barker > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Only when they have outrun the all-too-eager shadows of the Canyon and they are back in the glare of the billboards on Sunset Boulevard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/only-when-they-have-outrun-the-all-too-eager-shadows-of-the-canyon/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Let us not neglect the forbidden. 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An infant that lives an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nothing-happens-carelessly-we-re-not-brought-into-the-world-without/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Despite his intent, tears sprang to his eyes, and he went into her embrace, both of them sobbing freely, like enemies joined by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/despite-his-intent-tears-sprang-to-his-eyes-and-he-went-into-her/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Always, worlds within worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/always-worlds-within-worlds/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I'm an inclusionist. I've always divided up (very, very broadly, I admit) the artistic instincts into the inclusionist and the exclusionist. The exclusionist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-m-an-inclusionist-i-ve-always-divided-up-very-very-broadly-i-admit/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-horror-writer-the-books-tend-not/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Horror shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/horror-shows-us-that-the-control-we-believe-we-have-is-purely-illusory/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Explore all 365 Clive Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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