The phrase refers to a broadcast work, usually of a fictional or biographical nature, which profoundly and negatively impacts a reader. The content material could also be disturbing, traumatic, or in any other case generate lasting psychological misery. For example, a narrative detailing graphic violence or intense emotional abuse may fall into this class, probably inflicting nervousness or nightmares lengthy after the studying expertise.
Such literary works achieve notoriety on account of their energy to evoke sturdy emotional responses. The affect can stem from practical depictions of struggling, explorations of taboo topics, or the unsettling nature of the narrative. Whereas not all readers will react the identical means, these explicit narratives usually change into culturally vital, sparking discussions in regards to the duty of authors, the bounds of creative expression, and the vulnerability of the human psyche. Early examples may be present in gothic literature and psychological horror, the place the intent was usually to elicit concern and unease.
