The title to Nuzum’s article, The Monster’s Sacrifice- Historic time: The uses of Mythic and Liminal Time in Monster Literature, give us a small sense of what she will attempt to tell the reader. She begins the piece in a fashion that shows monsters to be relatable, how they have been used in literature throughout time, and for all ages. This gives us a rough definition of the genre, I say rough because the word monster could be replaced with almost anything at this point. To give this idea more definition, she gives us boundaries, lines inside which we can see things more clearly. Humans experience three planes of time, that being; linear, mythic, and liminal. Now with monsters they only experience two realities, either mythic, or a liminal one, not to say they don’t overlap. However, what is a monster? How do we know what one experiences? A monster is to quote her article, quoting Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary “1 a: an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure b: one who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior or character 2: a threatening force” With this definition we can delve into the two realities they experience. Monsters are liminal in several fashion, in their physical appearance, often having characteristics of multiple species, they are spatially liminal, being constrained to the dark, or other liminal situations, and finally their time structure is liminal. This leads up to one of the centerpieces of her arguments “The primary concern of monster literature is existence in linear time. For the monster, the consequences of its temporal constraints are emotional isolation and estrangement from human society, human companionship, and human love. Most of human existence takes place within, and has as its core significance the one temporal reality that is unavailable to the monster: historic time” The next section contains examples to prove her point, and she uses three criteria for the examples, they had to be familiar texts, they had to span different age groups, and each had to have different perspectives on monsters.

Overall this article is extremely thorough, she states her reasoning, and then gives excellent examples, not just one, but four specific books of different expected audiences all within the realm of monster literature. I don’t know if I buy her theory that monsters only exists in mythical, and liminal time. I understand that in theory monsters have rituals, and circumstances that are continuos in a sense, such as a werewolf always changing at the full moon, and she uses the example of a vampire sleeping during the day, and only coming to life in it’s liminal time when it is dark out. However, I feel that monsters still experience historical time. They are born, some die, these are specific experiences that only occur once and it is not a liminal time either. For example, many fantasy writers, Tolkien, Rothfuss, Martin, to name a few, give us very specific historical time lines that their characters exist in. In these books the monsters don’t only exist in the dark, or come to power once a month. They live every day lives, spanning decades, creating linage, I am not arguing that they don’t exist in the other time lines, because they do experience mythical and liminal realities. This doesn’t exclude them from the “boring” historical reality, but I think this instead helps them become more relatable characters.

Do you agree with Nuzam’s assumption that monsters only experience two realities?

Does age play a part in the reliability of monsters?

The author reflect upon their childhood love of monster films. Recognizing the monsters as symbolic of xenophobia and fear of technology the author mentions that as a child monster films provided an interactive experience. These monsters were more than just a symbol in film but helped to assist in the cultural drama of the viewers life. The films provided an escape, a way of being vicariously free from limitation and restraints forced upon the viewer.

Girls were a “its” similar to the monster because they forced to “display and understand themselves as objects”. Viewing herself from the outside, monster films provided the author with means of reconciling a negative self-image. Their own physical appearance was not of concern for these monsters. They thrashed about wildly destroying their surroundings while violating ideas of what was acceptable. While the girl had to keep negative emotions restrained to the point of showing appreciation for actions she resented, the monster had freedom to be its unadulterated self.

Watching the film with her sister the other feels as though they created a safe space in which they could indulge in ritual and be unnaffected by outside influence. The ritual space allowed the girls the freedom to indulge in traditionally “unladylike” behavior without fear of reprimand. They were free in this space to be take back their bodies from the objectification women experienced.

A woman’s body is dangerous to society if they do not conform to the standards and gave in to desire. Her life in turn becomes a battle between being “civilized” and being herself. Through the process of upholding “cultural paradigms” women help foster the destruction of self and others. Through the ritual of monster films, the author helped to solidify an idea of feminism. These ideas could never leave the ritual space. Girls were forced to deal with personal attack on their own without assistance.

Although her mother attempted to free her from some societal constraints, she could not provide the author with framework to understand herself as a woman outside of traditional paradigms. Like the monster attacking the city, women who chose to express themselves are met with heavy resistance.

The monsters were the vehicle for liberation for these girls even as women. It helped to liberate them from their restraints and the burden of expectations.  This is especially the case in which the author observes young girls role playing as raptors from Jurassic Park. The raptors worked together, were intelligent, and highly adaptable helping to free these little raptors from the fences of expectation.

These girls embodied ideals of feminism which a danger to hetero-patriarchal standards.  Considering the monsters as a metaphor for freedom the author reveals the pressure both she and many women feel under the pressure of societies burdens. Repeatedly, the author uses the monster as a medium to convey the ability to be true to one’s self and their desires.

How does the monster embody the idea of self-acceptance?

How does the struggle of girls/women go unrecognized?