Why are dolls, teddy bears, etc. used as horror objects in horror films?

Question

In many horror films, toys such as dolls, teddy bears, and puzzle boxes are used as objects which the spirits/ghosts use to scare people. Some examples would be Annabelle, the crooked man musical box from The Conjuring 2, Billy, Chucky, Jigsaw... Why are they used when there could be scarier objects like knives, guns, etc.?

Answer 1

That's a really good question! And as such there are many possible answers. I think that a reason why children's toys in horror films is that the contrast between the seeming innocence of the object with the scariness of how it is used is the key. Injecting horror into an object that typically represents comfort, home, and safety is a way to try and catch the viewer off-guard or surprise them in some way; turning something safe into something that inspires fear. Now it's become more of a trope, as you've noticed, but I think it still works. A possessed gun, for instance, wouldn't be scary because guns are already scary. Non-scary objects hold their own meaning outside of, say, knives, and are more interesting as ways to convey fear. Hope that helps!