“American Horror Story” is known for pushing the boundaries of human comfort in different ways each season.
The anthology horror drama series lured its viewers into the murder house in Season 1, opened the doors to the asylum in Season 2, carried them through the coven in Season 3, disturbed them during the freak show for Season 4, had them scrambling through the hotel in Season 5 and left the theme of Season 6 a complete mystery until its Sept. 14 premiere on FX.
With the highly anticipated Season 6’s mysterious beginning, many fans have been hopeful, anxious and curious about what it should bring.
“American Horror Story” is known for dramatizing traumatic historical events in order to tie together the plot of each season. The title of this season is “My Roanoke Nightmare.” For many viewers, Roanoke is a new word, but viewers will quickly learn its significance.
Stories the show has drawn inspiration from include the Black Dahlia murder, Marie Laveau and the Axeman, all of which are real-life horrors.
Robyn Glessner, adjunct professor of history and English, shed light on the actual Roanoke mystery.
“Roanoke was the first English attempt at colonizing North America,” Glessner said. “Under the leadership of John White they landed on an island off the coast of current-day North Carolina.”
When John White returned to the island after searching for supplies, he discovered the eerie fate of Roanoke.
“(Roanoke) had completely disappeared,” Glessner said. “He could not find any of the colonists he had left behind, including his own family. The only thing he did find was the word ‘Croatoan’ carved into a tree trunk. Their bodies were never found, and it remains a historic mystery.”
For many “American Horror Story” viewers, this only adds to the appeal. Keegan Roberts, sophomore Christian behavioral science major, said the uncertainty of the show keeps her watching.
“When I heard about ‘AHS’ I was immediately interested,” Roberts said. “It keeps you on your toes and you never know what is going to happen next, and I love that.”
