Monday, March 5, 2012

DWA #11

         In "Monster Culture (Seven Theses)," Jeffrey Jerome Cohen vividly describes the monster in various cultures. He used seven theses to describe the multiple roles of monsters in culture. His first thesis described the monster as a cultural body. A monster is created out of the fears and anxieties of a particular time period. What these people view as horrendous is seen through their monster. His second thesis says that the monster always escapes. A monster is everlasting and cannot be destroyed. Monsters live in multiple time periods through various cultures. In his third thesis, Cohen describes how monsters cannot be categorized. Monsters are too complex and unique to be placed in any particular category. Each monster has multiple characteristics that cannot be grouped into one. Cohen describes the monster's differences in his fourth thesis. He explains how monsters are the outsiders in culture when it comes to the cultural, political, racial, economic, and sexual aspects of society. Monsters exceed the norms in these categories. In his fifth thesis, Cohen draws out the strict role of the monster. Monsters tighten the boundaries of those who are cultured and prevent the freedom of these people. Monsters take advantage of their powerful roles to limit the freedom of the cultured society. In thesis six, Cohen identifies the people's fear of the monster as a desire as well. The people fear the monster itself, but they also envy the monster's power and freedom. This desire gives the people a sense of admiration toward the monster. Finally, in thesis seven, Cohen states how monsters are created. We, the people, create the monsters in our society. By ostracizing the outsiders, we form these monsters of our culture.
       This analysis of monster culture is backed up by sufficient evidence. The fears of a society build up the monster of the time. For example, in our society, we fear the threats of terrorist attacks because of the events of 9/11. We tend to identify terrorist attacks with the ethnicity of the terrorists of 9/11. So whenever one sees a Muslim at the airport, there is a fear built up that links to terrorist attacks. Our society built up this monster. Cohen uses an AIDS example to help explain the idea that monsters never escape. In the 1980's, vampires were linked to AIDS awareness and linked a fear of AIDS to a fear of vampires. This built on the anxiety towards vampires. However, vampires today are seen in Twilight and True Blood. These vampires are still feared but in a different way then the 1980's vampires. This monster has not escaped, just created fear in a different way in a different time period. Monsters cannot be categorized. For example, Voldemort in Harry Potter is not easily identified. He is a soul, a snake, a professor, a ghost, and a villain throughout the series. These multiple characteristics prevent Voldemort from being classified. Monsters are the outsiders of culture. Cohen uses the example of racism towards blacks as an example. In America's history, there was a bias against African Americans of the time. They were seen as inferior to whites. The people feared the dark colored skin due to its outsider status. This created a monster in culture. Cohen uses the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to describe how curiosity of the monster is usually punished. Monsters have this extraordinary freedom over the people in society. People often envy the freedom of these monsters and long for their power over the culture. However, through all of the fear, it is ultimately we, the people, that create these monsters.

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