In K.A Nuzum article ,” The Monster’s Sacrifice – Historic Time: The Uses Liminal Time in Monster Literature , the author introduces a new perspective of “monsters” in a way we can relate. When it comes to monsters we see them as something abnormal and different but Nuzum mentions two terms that shows a similarity between us and them. Mythic time and liminal time , liminal time is “where status and boundary do not apply” , as defined by Nuzum. Mythic time is something that can always be repeated. In difference with monsters and humans is that we face one more category in which is historic is your daily life. With hearing that you have some similarities it sparks some interests and makes you question , am I myself a monster?
Nuzum provides examples within books we’ve grown to love and makes it her point more clear. Where the Wild Things are is a classic and shows as a kid we like to pretend/act like monsters as entertainment for himself. The conflict comes in when a human acts with monstrous ways its not normal nor accepted. The protagonist Max , acting so (monstrous) leads him to being punished like any parent would do to their child for inappropriate behavior. Being punished isolates you from the outside world , putting a pause on your avaiblity to your historic time but allows Max to go into liminal time. While Max is in this state he’s able to roam free and do as he pleases in this place he created called “Where the Wild Things Are”. In this phase of time Max is able to create everything he imagined in the historic without his limitations. Its the same for us when we are young and our imagination is running wild and we’re doing crazy our parents can’t understand , the only result is punishment. When you’re punished and isolate yourself. You begin to imagine a world and a time where things can go your way , a perfect utopia.
Another good point that Nuzum made was when the novel the Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is introduced. A well known and respected doctor , creates an addiction to a potion of his creation. This potion allows him to isolate himself and to act in monstrous ways in a form no one knows him in. This freedom to act so outrageous becomes addictive to him , he enjoys his isolation till he realizes the damage of his monstrous ways. This is the same as someone being a well known profession and becoming a drug addict , or alcoholic because they feel no boundaries (slipping into liminal time) until the morning after when they sober up and are back in historic time.
Do you see a relation with monsters and yourself ? Can you define yourself within this characters from the novels chosen by Nuzum ?
Do you think liminal time , is the same as someone have devilish ways and only exposing them when alone ?