In the “Author’s Introduction,” Mary Shelley describes her objective: “I busied myself to think of a story–a story to rival those which had excited us to the task. One which could speak to

In the “Author’s Introduction,” Mary Shelley describes her objective: “I busied myself to think of a story–a story to rival those which had excited us to the task. One which could speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror–one to make the reader dread to look around, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beating of the heart.” Why would she want to partake in it? In other words, what are the uses of horror?