A sense of the doll having a will of its own is very common. It's not just an inanimate object but seems to be able to act and react. For instance, in some stories, the doll will purposely place itself in the path of the main character or make itself visible at the most inconvenient and scary times. This gives the impression that the doll is out to get the characters in the story, which is a key aspect of horror doll stories.
One common element is the doll having some sort of unnatural movement. Like in many stories, the doll moves on its own without any visible force, which is very creepy. Another is the doll having an evil or menacing look, such as glowing eyes or a distorted face. Also, the children in these stories usually experience a sense of dread or fear that is unexplainable at first but intensifies as the story progresses.
The appearance of ceramic dolls can be very terrifying. Their fixed expressions, often with big, unblinking eyes, give a sense of the uncanny. In horror stories, it's like they are always watching.
The idea of inanimate objects coming to life is a big factor. We expect dolls to stay still and lifeless. When a story suggests they can move, talk, or have a malevolent will of their own, it goes against our normal perception. Also, dolls are often associated with childhood innocence, and when that is perverted in a horror story, it creates a strong sense of unease. In many horror dolls stories, they are used as vessels for evil spirits or curses, which adds to the scariness.
Dolls in American Horror Story are used in multiple ways to create horror. One way is through their appearance - old, tattered dolls can immediately give off an eerie vibe. Another is their placement; finding a doll in an unexpected and sinister place like a locked attic or a dark basement adds to the horror. Also, when they start interacting with the characters in unnatural ways, like whispering secrets or attacking them, it really amps up the horror factor.
One common element is often some form of dark magic or the supernatural. As I mentioned before, things like voodoo or curses play a role.
The paper dolls themselves are the scariest element. Their lifeless appearance yet their ability to move and seem to have a consciousness is really creepy.
One dolls horror story is about a possessed doll. A girl found an old doll in an attic. At night, she would hear strange noises coming from it. The doll's eyes seemed to follow her everywhere. Eventually, she started having nightmares of the doll coming to life and trying to harm her.
Isolation. Often, in IT horror stories, the characters are isolated. For example, a lone system administrator might be the only one in the server room when something strange starts to happen with the servers. Another common element is the loss of control. The technology that is supposed to be under human control suddenly starts acting on its own, like a self - driving car going berserk in an IT - related horror scenario.
Horror stories often feature a protagonist who is in over their head. They might start out as an ordinary person, like in 'Rosemary's Baby' where Rosemary is just a normal woman, but then they are thrust into a terrifying situation. Settings also play a big role. Abandoned asylums, cemeteries, and old mansions are common settings in horror stories as they have an air of mystery and danger already associated with them.
Fear of death is a big element in horror stories. The threat of death, whether it's from a serial killer or a supernatural force, is always present. Also, there's often a sense of helplessness. The characters find themselves in situations where they seem to have little control over what's happening to them. For instance, in 'The Blair Witch Project', the characters are lost in the woods and being hunted by an unknown entity. There's also the use of suspense. Writers build up the tension by delaying the reveal of the horror, making the readers or viewers more and more anxious as the story progresses.