What is a monster? Without much thought, most people’s immediate image of a monster would include creatures with inhuman features, things that look like our imaginary friends’ evil enemy, or in some instances humans as ‘monsters’. As in the case with our class, it was evident everyone had their own ideas of what makes a monster, an actual monster. When posed with the question, “What makes your monster, a monster?”, it became an inquiry that delved deeper than what we imagined these “things” were suppose to be. Where did our understanding or lack there of, of monsters come from?
With the notions of monsters, it is something that is derived from our history and society. As in the article, “What is a monster?”, by Natalie Lawrence , she highlighted the different definitions of the word monster and how they were used. There are those who saw what was then considered exotic animals as monsters, for the simple fact that they were newly discovered and the world did not know how to identify such creatures with “strange forms”. They say the unknown is most feared. Naming and considering them as monsters make them marketable, as “lucrative things”.Then there is the case of, “The Dentist” with Cecil the lion. The dentist, Dr. Walter Palmer, became a ‘murderer’ over night. Labeled as a public monster, his reputation suffered and his life changed forever. Society persecuted Dr. Palmer, condemned him as a monster.
As Natalie Lawrence wrote, “Monsters are not self-evident; they were created to serve these roles”. The key word being “created”, is that suggestive that monsters are literal creations by society? With so much influence from what society claims as a monster, it is easy to instilled such ideas into people’s minds. What is a monster? Is it subjective? Lawrence makes a great case, monsters are not monster before they are given that name. It is society that deems them as so.
1. Why and how is it marketable when something is considered a monster?
2. Was the world severe to call Dr. Palmer, the dentist, a monster for his actions, even if some people believe gaming is a legitimate sport? Would the world have the same reaction had not the lion been given a human name, Cecil?
I agree with the fact that monsters are well known because of their physical features. It almost always seems like a monster has “inhuman features” like you mentioned. Monsters are the things that we as humans gain an automatic fear for or try to avoid the most. But while thinking deeper into the idea about monsters we rarely question how they were “created”? Who is really in charge of making up a creature that will only be judged for their physical features only.