Firstly, it is important to understand the original Indigenous interpretation of the wendigo. Atwood defines it as, “... a giant spirit-creature with a heart and sometimes an entire body of ice, and prodigious strength; and that it can travel as fast as the wind... its prevailing characteristic seems to be its ravenous hunger for human flesh” (Atwood 66). In this sense, the wendigo is a monster that threatens the community through its physical might. However, the wendigo in the traditional Indigenous sense is more than just a physical foe. He is also a cautionary tale against greed and self-centeredness. In reference to Johnston’s wendigo stories, Howard writes that: “[He] also stresses the fact that the wendigo is an embodiment of human weaknesses, in particular overindulgence and selfishness” …show more content…
The original concept of the wendigo begins to change with growing European contact. French voyageurs interpret Indigenous stories of the wendigo through their European understanding of the werewolf, leading to an enmeshment of some of their beastly qualities. Podruchny writes: “...the French-Canadian belief in werewolves provided voyageurs with a framework to understand windigos in French-Canadian terms, and in the narratives about cannibal monsters, the motifs of windigo and werewolf intermingled” (Podruchny 678). There are some similarities between the two beasts; both werewolves and wendigos are marked by their physical transformation and cannibalistic nature, however, the werewolf lacks the moral implication that the wendigo possesses. Wendigos are created through greed and selfishness, while werewolves are more commonly created through dark magic and Satanism. If the wendigo represents human weakness, then the werewolf represents supernatural influence which dampens the moral imperative against greed on the
In society, there have always been different roles in defining the boundaries between right and wrong; Monsters take a big part of that role. In Jeffrey Cohen’s “Monster Culture,” Cohen explains seven theses which provide a clearer explanation of how monsters take a part in establishing these boundaries. The oldest Anglo-Saxon story written- “Beowulf”- provides three different monsters which all connect to Cohen’s seven theses. In the older version, however, the monsters do not relate to humans in any way, except that they are enemies. The modern version of Beowulf portrays Grendel’s mother to still be evil but also have relations with the humans in the story.
Ever thought of where monsters come from? Do they just appear in our world, or are they procreated by fellow monsters, maybe, created by humans and their desires. During the renaissance and romantic era, a belief roamed around consisting of the idea that any child not resembling their original procreators was considered deformed, therefore also considered a “monster.” Many factors were considered to affect a child’s resemblance to their progenitors, such as women imagination, and desires, absolutely crossing of the role of paternity in the creation process. Although she succeeds in providing many good examples of women’s imagination being a primal factor in procreation, Marie-Helene Huet, in her essay, “ Introduction To Monstrous Imagination,”
Cohen, Jeffrey J. “Monster Culture (Seven Theses).” Monsters. Ed. Brandy Ball Blake and L. Andrew Cooper. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press, 2012. 11-33. Print.
In Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan, characters of many different backgrounds interact in the Mississippi River delta. Although the novel takes place at a time when races are technically equal, many older white characters carry their prejudices into farm life, discriminating against their black peers, whether consciously or unconsciously. As she explores race relations in her novel, Jordan asserts that racial discrimination is insidious, still existing despite good intentions and a lack of overt offense.
In a world with ghosts, monsters, demons, and ghouls, there is one being that resonates in everyone’s mind. The idea of these creatures can be found in almost every culture on the planet in one form or another. They prey on the weak and they feast on the blood of their victims. They are compared to a fox for being quick and cunning, but also rather seductive in their nature. With their unholy existence one can only describe them as almost demonic. So what is this horrid creature? Well it is none other than the vampire, a creature as old as time itself. Throughout history there have been many different variations of the vampire, each with their own unique abilities. But one cannot help but mention
For as long as mankind has been around the fascination of savage beasts were greatly integrated through its cultures. The concept of monsters has been used in many historical and ideological context to vilify what society deems abhorrent. Monsters serve as our own depictions of ourselves and the world around us. They challenge our cultural mores and force us to analyze what is within us. The reason why monsters are becoming increasingly popular is because it allows people to break out of social norms and immerse themselves into a world of immorality. Werewolves, in particular, we see are just like humans, facing the same issues we do. They are seeking love, affection, and acceptance, much like us. However, much of their approach may test our
It is my view, that the Creature may be seen from two main perspectives, on the one hand he may be seen as a “Monster”, “a fiend”. of unparalleled barbarity” and on the other he may be seen as a victim. with whom the reader may sympathise. Out of the three narratives in the book, the one which occupies that major part of the book, that of Victor Frankenstein. It is from his perspective that we are imparting most of the evidence which may lead to consider the Creature as a ‘Fiend of unparalleled barbarity’.
Werewolves are indicated in the paranormal activity. The history of werewolves has been out for a pretty long time and people do not know if the story is a myth or not. The history began in Wisconsin in 1936 as a man encountered a large creature towering over six feet and covered in hair. Werewolves are known as lycanthropes, which are mythological or folkloric people with the ability to shape-shift into a wolf or wolf-like creature (Werewolves in Wisconsin, 2014). Werewolves’ features are like a wolf mix with a man, very hairy, big and strong. Werewolves are shape-shifting creatures with unusual speed, strength, reflexes, a...
Werewolf history has many roots in multiple cultures, some even advancing back to ancient times. One legend in particular that caught my attention was one heard a lot from a Native American tribe that used to live in, what we now know as Wisconsin. It is here that the gift of shape shifting into werewolves was said to be started in the Fox Tribe. This legend, started with a spirit-god by the name Wisakachek. Wisakachek was a shape shifter that was able to co-exist with humans in a peaceful manner.
Nowadays, people are still enticed by fear, they have a curiosity for the supernatural, evil and frightening. Although modern day society is supposedly politically correct, we are still an immoral society and many of us would treat a creature like Frankenstein’s creation or a vampire like Dracula like a monster. In this way, the novels still have social significance.
In the days before serial killers were acknowledged phenomena murderers were often thought to be mythological creatures, because it was easier to blame inhuman creatures than to accept that humans could be evil enough to commit such crimes. Elizabeth Bathory was one such murderer, and was thought to be a vampire, while Albert Fish held the dubious honor of being called the Werewolf of Wysteria, and even the Boogeyman.
Over the past several hundred years, werewolves have been an important part of Western Cultures. Werewolves have appeared in blockbuster movies and been the subject of countless books and stories. Werewolves are dark and powerful creatures that terrify us on multiple levels. While they are some of the most violent and merciless monsters that horror has to offer, there is something about the werewolf that we can identify with. Not only can we identify with the characters afflicted with the curse, but we can also identify that the werewolf is a beast and an evil force. The werewolf symbolizes the evil that is contained within us all. In this paper, I will explain the different evils that werewolves symbolize by taking a critical look at the real life history of the werewolf, the werewolf in literature and film, and the opinions of experts on the topic.
Monsters are hunted. The lore of their destruction is excessive, glowing, and dispersed. It is a crucial component of their mythology. There is no eluding the hunter, armed with the vampire stake and crosses and the werewolf’s silver bullet. But then it is the hunter whose tale it is to begin with. Beowulf cannot stay hidden forever, or he would not be Beowulf. Monstrosity relies, in this sense, on its exposition for its production, and it is in this superficial sense of vitality by revelation that two theorists of monstrosity concoct a fantastic world of ‘society’ to keep themselves at bay. Michael Uebel’s “Unthinking the Monster” and Mark Dorrian’s “On the Monstrous and Grotesque” represent similar though distinct theorizations of monstrosity in terms of otherness, difference, relation to self, and production in/by rhetoric. The articles consider the relation between monstrosity and the terms against which it is defined. Yet the pieces are also monsters, and the worlds they sing of are the ones they behold with rapt attention. It is their theorization of monstrosity that allows for the continuation of both insides and outsides in a way more immediate than their encapsulation of such a movement considers.
He stated, “I never trust the children of the wolf, because they are wild animals. Cunning is the greatest talent for taking advantage of the sweat of other”. The children he was referencing were the descendants of Romulus and Remus; therefore, suggesting Rome being a location filled with wild people that cannot be trusted. However, Rome is not the only civilization who believes wolves are not wild fiends, but rather trustworthy companions. Native American traditionally considered them as a good sign, a protector, strong, courageous, mysterious (Lake-Thom). Native Americans have often held timber wolves in the highest esteem in their culture. In truth, they are many times seen as a sacred animal and featured significantly in ancient songs, dances and stories that have been handed down for generations. Their role in artwork and other cultural items of Native American life was a given and often revered and welcomed. In Christianity, the wolf is represented as a symbol of greed, lust, evil, destructiveness. This may be where Antonio got his perception of wolves because on page 76 of the novel he states he advises his students to read Christ stopped at
Criteria for being considered as a “monster” are quite broad, but they are entirely based on society’s assessment. Things perceived as monsters represent our fears and insecurities, and they are often judged as a monster based on those. The first criterion, however, is always our first impression of how a thing looks. We jump to conclusions without assessing the nature of the creature. The problems faced by both Gregor Samsa and Frankenstein’s creature all stem from how people react to their appearance. Despite their attempts to fit in with society, they could not overcome the prejudice that they faced because of their outward appearance.