DISCUSSION FORUM UNIT 3 ENGL 1405 Legends of horror are special to the Kalenjin culture as it brings a deeper understanding of how our culture interacts with and connects to the notion of horror. Horror is “an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear” ( Dictionary, 2023). It is associated with our cultural heritage as it sheds light on certain values and beliefs, that have been passed down over the centuries. For Kalenjin culture, legends of horror often evoke feelings of terror. In particular, our stories center around two creatures: Kerit and Chemosit. The Kalenjin have many stories, passed down from generation to generation, that highlight supernatural occurrences …show more content…
Chemosit, is a giant creature that terrifies people. There are no obvious ways to escape its grasp and its size is often a symbol of its might. Both of these creatures signify our collective fear of the unknown. Chemosit symbolizes our fear of isolation and being far away from civilization and those that we love. These stories are passed down through the generations and allow the younger generations to understand the importance of community and being surrounded by those that we …show more content…
The story's depiction of how a terrifying encounter with the spiders changed the protagonist's behavior echoes the beliefs of many Kalenjin who firmly believe in spiritual entities such as Kerit chemosit and other animals who could cause physical harm. Through the story, we learn how these spiritual entities play a role in maintaining order in society and creating a fear of punishment in those who do wrong. Thus, "The Petting Zoo" not only helps us understand our own culture's understanding of fear but can also help us develop strategies to deal with the potential risks associated with living in a Kalenjin culture. These tales also exemplify the close bond between the Kalenjin and horror as the stories embody values that have been instilled in us over time. It highlights how our culture has used horror as a form of storytelling to pass down important messages about community and values. Moreover, it demonstrates the level of reverence and respect our culture holds for the stories of