Dehumanization & Monsters in Literature: Types with Examples & Quotations (2023)

What causes a society to view some categories of people as less than human? Throughout history we can see how people divided into groups and used violence to discriminate against each other.When groups of individuals are perceived as monstrous or demonic, it leads to dehumanization.

Numerous literary masterpieces explore the meaning ofmonstrosityand show the dire consequences ofdehumanization. This article byCustom-Writing.orgWille:

  • explore what monsters represent in literature,

  • Dive into the topic of dehumanization.

  • present many examples.

contents

  1. 👾 Monstrosity meaning

  2. 🧛 Monsters in literature

    1. Monstrosity in Frankenstein

  3. ⚡ Dehumanization definition

  4. 📚 Dehumanization in literature

    1. Night

    2. metamorphosis

  5. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions

  6. 🔍 References

👾 Monstrosity: Meaning

Let's start with the question: What do people find monstrous? Usually,The words "monstrous" or "monstrosity" denote something ugly, evil, or frightening.For example, creatures like basilisks or dragons represent things that don't fit into accepted natural categories.

Dehumanization & Monsters in Literature: Types with Examples & Quotations (1)

By defining what is deviant, deformed, or monstrous, humans can determine what is "normal." Training monsters reinforces our idea of ​​morality and social boundaries. It would be considered immoral to kill a human being. However, killing a monster can even be considered noble.

characteristics of a monster

In literature, monsters are fictional characters found primarily in horror, science fiction, and folklore. They have certain qualities that make them fearsome in the eyes of others. Here are some key features:

🤯Relationship to people's emotions Monsters often serve as symbols for people's deep-rooted fears and suppressed thoughts.
👿origin story Some monsters have a backstory describing how they became evil or deformed.
👹Unusual or frightening appearance Physically, monsters can exhibit some unnatural human or animal characteristics. It makes others even more afraid of them.
😱unpredictability Monsters differ from humans not only in their appearance, but also in their actions. Because of this, it can be difficult to predict their next move.
💪Special strength or weakness Monsters can have their limitations and weaknesses that help a hero defeat them. However, they can also be portrayed as invincible.
(Video) The Psychology of Dehumanization

Monster Archetype: What do monsters represent?

According to Carl Jung's theoryMonsters are called the reflections of our personality aspectsthe shadow. It refers to people's characteristics and desires, which are condemned by society. Because people struggle to acknowledge them, these qualities are suppressed and manifest unconsciously.

Jung believed that one of the ways to deal with one's shadow aspects was through projection. For example, humans can project their suppressed emotions and traits onto monsters. Therefore, monsters often act as scapegoats.

🧛 Monsters in literature

In this section you will learn more about literary monsters and their types. You can also find our list of the top 10 most iconic monsters here.

History of Monsters in Literature

Literary monsters are timeless. We can find them in all types of writing, from ancient mythology to modern fiction. However, the depiction of monsters has undergone some changes over time:

  • Initially, they were mostly presented asevilcreaturesor antagonistsof the hero.

  • In modern fiction they are often portrayed assympathetic and misunderstood.

monsters of mythology

When we think of an ancient myth, we often think of the monster rather than the hero. Why is that? Well, monsters must be impressive: after allThey challenge heroes to prove their worth and gain power and recognition.

In his bookHero with a thousand faces, Joseph Campbell describes a heroic narrative common to most myths. In this tale, a hero must complete a transformative adventure and return home victorious. It is also known asthe hero's journey.

As you might have guessed, monsters are an integral part of the hero's journey. They usually serve as antagonists in the Trial and Final Battle phases. Think of Homer's Cyclops or ScyllaOdysseyas a prime example of a memorable monster.

Medieval monsters

In the Middle Ages, monsters had two main roles:

  • They served as counterexample topeople. Monsters demonstrated to humans what can be considered "human" by being the opposite of it.

  • They were the embodiment of something frightening and unknown.Monsters were often associated with spirits and believed to inhabit exotic lands.

Medieval Europeans were fascinated by the newly discovered lands. They described native peoples and animals from other continents as something otherworldly. An old epicBeowulfis an excellent example of such perception. The text contains a wide range of magical creatures, animals and people.

Victorian era monsters and Gothic monsters

The idea of ​​the monstrosity undergoes some changes in the Victorian era. This is also the time when gothic novel becomes popular.

dualityis one of the focal points of Gothic literature. The characters, including antagonists, become more complex and diverse. Monsters are now portrayed more sympathetically. Instead of cruel creatures that inspire fear, we see characters misunderstood and ostracized by humans. It is also around the Victorian era that the subject of monstrosity is immersed in the genre ofScience-Fiction.

The creature from Frankensteinand Mr Hyde outStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hydeare good examples of monsters that make readers sympathize with them since they are created during experiments. These characters make us wonder if one is born a beast or if life makes them one.

Monster-Tropical-Types

Monsters in literary works can be divided into several categories:

Dehumanization & Monsters in Literature: Types with Examples & Quotations (2)

We will discuss the most well-known types in the following sections.

Traits of monster villains

Villain monsters are usually complex characters that don't necessarily fall into the antagonist category.They are characterized by motivations such as greed or striving for power.

Rogue monsters can communicate evil without violence. Also, these types of characters often combine ordinary looks with some terrifying bestial elements.

Brad StokersCount Draculais a great example of a monster villain. He looks like a human but is monstrous by nature.

Misunderstood and sympathetic monsters

A sympathetic monster is a character who appears like a monster to others but does no harm.Isolation and marginalization cause such characters to turn their backs on people and commit crimes, even if they initially had no ill intentions.

Likeable monsters are often created by society. For example, the hunchback Quasimodo, like Frankenstein's monster, is shamed and manipulated by humans because of his physical deformity. He is perceived as a monster simply because of his unusual appearance.

Lovecraft Monsters: Cosmic Horror

Cosmic horror is a subgenre of gothic literature.It emphasizes fear of the unknown and portrays people as vulnerable and ignorant.

The first name that comes to mind when we talk about cosmic horror isH. P.Lovecraft. The two terms "Lovecraftian horror" and "cosmic horror" are used interchangeably. In the world of cosmic horror, monsters are far more powerful than humans. They question human values ​​and their perception of the world.

Lovecraftian horror has some unique qualities that set it apart from other works of gothic literature. It includes the use of:

  • weirdness,

  • Ambiguity,

  • Thriller-Elemente,

  • psychological horror.

Female Monsters in Literature

In classical Greek and Roman myths, many villains and monsters are female. Many myths and legends reinforced certain expectations about women's behavior and appearance. These stories also reflected, to some extent, the way women were viewed as destructive. It shows men's desire to control and dominate women.

Female monsters symbolize someone who transcends the patriarchal order and therefore poses a threat to the male protagonist.Grendel's motherBeowulfis a good example of such a character.

Monsters in Children's Literature

In 17th-19th century literature, children's books were full of depictions of death and brutality. Fairy tales featured frightening monsters; They emphasized physical harm and incited terror. Most of these stories served as cautionary tales, with monsters representing thosegeneral dangers of that time.

(Video) How Humans Dehumanize Others (David Livingstone Smith Interview)

Today's children's literature contains no explicit descriptions of violence. Horror for children took on a form of fantasy fiction, featuring magical creatures such as dragons and fairies.

Maurice SendaksWhere the wild things areis an excellent example of contemporary children's literature. It has mysterious elements and features various magical creatures, but contains no violence.

Top 10 Literary Monsters

From Greek mythology to contemporary horror, literature is full of fantastical beasts. However, only a few of them remain in our memory after the story is over. Here is a list of the top 10 literary monsters, which have served as inspiration for many other fictional characters:

  1. Blame by HomerOdyssey. A mythical sea monster with 5 heads and 12 legs.

  2. Grendel vonBeowulf.A powerful and bloodthirsty man-eating creature.

  3. Count Dracula aus Brad StokersDracula. A centuries-old vampire who serves as the blueprint for nearly all subsequent vampire characters.

  4. The Creature von Mary ShelleysFrankenstein.An articulate and intelligent monster created from the corpses by Victor Frankenstein.

  5. Smaug vonJ. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit.A dragon guarding a trove of treasures.

  6. Eduard Hyde von Robert Louis StevensonThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde.An alternate personality of Henry Jekyll, embodying his inner monsters.

  7. Pennyweise vonStephen Kings Es.An ancient, shapeshifting creature that often appears as a clown, preying on the Children of Derry.

  8. Cthulhu by H.P. LovecraftsThe Call of Cthulhu.An Ancient One that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean in the sunken city of R'lyeh.

  9. The Jabberwocky von Lewis CarrollJabberwocky.A giant chimera with wings, a dragon body, a fish-like head, and a pair of claw-like hands.

  10. Fenrir - a monstrous wolf fromNorse mythology. The son of the demonic Loki and a giantess, Angerboda.

Theme of the monstrosity in Frankenstein

Monstrosity is one of the central themes inFrankenstein,with the creature serving as a great example of a misunderstood monster.

At first, the creature has no ill intentions: it just wants to be loved and accepted. However, he was born out of Victor's selfish desire to prove himself by creating a human from the body parts of dead criminals. This fact alone determines his tragic fate. He becomes a victim of ostracism and turns into a real monster.

Victor can be seen as a victim of his pride and isolation. He wants to prove himself to people and be recognized. After the monster kills his family, Victor devotes the rest of his life to killing his own creation. In the end, his ambition only leads him to alienation and self-destruction.

Would you like to learn more about these themes in the novel? Please take a look at our articleThemes in Frankenstein.

Monstrosity in Frankenstein: Quotations

Here are some quotes from Mary Shelley's novel that reflect the idea of ​​monstrosity:

I was absolutely ignorant of my creation and my Creator, but I knew I had no money, no friends, no property. In addition, I was endowed with a hideously deformed and hideous figure; I wasn't even of the same nature as man. I was more mobile than they, and could live on coarser fare; I have endured the extremes of heat and cold with fewer injuries to my body; my stature far exceeded hers. As I looked around, I saw and heard no one like me. Was I then a monster, a spot on earth from which all men fled and which all men denied?

(Frankenstein,Chapter 5)

I saw the wretched one - the wretched beast I had created. He held up the bed curtains; and his eyes, if they may be called eyes, were upon me. His jaws opened and he murmured some inarticulate sounds while a grin tugged at his cheeks. He could have spoken, but I didn't hear; a hand was outstretched, seemingly to restrain me, but I escaped and fell down the stairs.

(Frankenstein,Chapter 5)

Cursed creator! Why did you create such a hideous monster in the first place?youturned away from me in disgust? God, out of compassion, made man beautiful and attractive in his own image; but my form is a dirty kind of you, more terrible even for the mere resemblance. Satan had his fellows, middle devils, who admired and encouraged him, but I'm a loner and I loathe him.

(Frankenstein,Chapter 15)

⚡ Dehumanization definition

Dehumanization is a process by which adversaries perceive one another as people devoid of human qualities.It happens when a group of people sees another as inferior, evil, or a criminal. We usually believe that all human beings have certain rights that should not be violated. Unfortunately, it is also the case that people who are considered outsiders are not always treated fairly.

Dehumanization often leads to violence, human rights violations and genocide. It is also worth noting that both the abuser and the abused tend to rob another party of human qualities. This, in turn, can only exacerbate the conflict, leading to more casualties and discrimination.

types of dehumanization

Dehumanization can take many forms. The exclusion criteria are often race, ideology, gender or cognitive abilities.

Dehumanization of the Jews in the Holocaust

The Holocaust is one of the most prominent examples of dehumanization. There were religious, political, and racial grounds that encouraged discrimination against Jews. In the eyes of the Nazis, Jews were not human at all.

According to the interview published by NPR,Hitler's regime used modern forms of discourse to dehumanize the Jews.The Jews were labeled in the media and newspapers as subhumans or parasites. The use of animal images was essential for the success of the propaganda. It depicted Jewish people as bloodthirsty predators. These depictions caused disgust and fear among the Germans.

dehumanization of slaves

This type of dehumanization has affected both slaves and slave owners in many ways. The slaves have to work under inhumane conditions and are constantly abused. They also suffer from depression and loneliness. It leads to low self-esteem, PTSD and a loss of cultural identity. Slave owners, in turn, are affected by dehumanization by depriving others of their human qualities and rights.

dehumanization in war

Dehumanization during war works as a coping mechanism. It allows people to justify killing or even perceive it as something noble. In combat, enemies are associated with deeds of evil and depravity. The enemy image created is crucial for soldiers to be able to kill as needed. It also encourages civilians to support military action and keep up the enthusiasm even when casualties begin to mount.

dehumanization of women

It's no secret that women have long been, and continue to be, viewed only as objects of desire. Sexualization achieved through revealing clothing and bright makeup causes people to attribute less human characteristics to women. Such objectification of a person reduces them to a mere body and can be viewed as dehumanization.

📚 Subject of dehumanization in literature: examples

In literary works, the topic of dehumanization is presented from different angles and perspectives. It is often associated with the subject of monstrosity as it deals with the issue of humanity and inhumanity. Some literary works reinforce certain stereotypes, thereby contributing to the problem of dehumanization. However, most of the work focuses on exposing the inhumane nature of discrimination.

Many stories that explore the concept of dehumanization have a strong emotional impact on readers and resonate with them. They serve as cautionary tales and encourage us to learn from the past. There are some good examples of works that talk about dehumanization and human nature:

Examples of dehumanization at night

Nightby Eli Wieselexamines many critical issues that arose during World War II and in particular the Holocaust. Dehumanization is one of the book's most prominent themes.

The characters who show the most violence in the book are Nazi officers and SS doctors. They believe that some nations, including the Jews, should be exterminated. An example of the graphic depiction of violence inNightis the execution of a teenager. The prisoners must watch the boy's torture and then witness his death.

Elie Wiesel also shows in his book how cruelty breeds more cruelty. Forced to live in inhumane conditions, the prisoners themselves gradually begin to lose their minds and become increasingly violent. You can learn more about it in our articlesubjects in night.

dehumanization quotes at night

Here are some quotes from Wiesel's book that show how people were stripped of their humanity in concentration camps:

Always remember this, let it be engraved in your memories. You are in Auschwitz. And Auschwitz is not a convalescent home. It's a concentration camp. Here you have to work. If you don't, go straight to the chimney. To the crematorium. Work or crematorium - the choice is yours.

(Night,p. 38)

The night was pitch black. From time to time a shot would explode in the darkness. They had orders to shoot anyone who couldn't keep up the pace. They didn't let their fingers on the trigger take away the pleasure. If either of us stopped for a second, a quick shot would kill the filthy dog.

(Night,p. 85)

listen to me little one Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place everyone is for themselves and you cannot think of others. Not even your father. There is no such thing as father, brother, friend in this place. Each of us lives and dies alone.

(Night,p. 110)

Monstrosity & Dehumanization in Metamorphosis

The transformationby Franz Kafka is another example of a literary work that deals with dehumanization. After Gregor Samsa awakens as an insect, he gradually loses all his human qualities.

As a result of a transformation, the man also becomes alienated from his work and from society in general. However, Gregor's mental transformation occurs long before the physical. Because of his demanding job, he was isolated from his family for a very long time. When Gregor turns into an insect, his family members begin to neglect him. In her eyes, the man loses his humanity. Over time, Gregor himself slowly begins to deny his human nature.

There are many other interesting themes in the novella. Read more about it in our article aboutThemes in "The Metamorphosis"..

The Metamorphosis Quotes About Dehumanization

Here are quotes from the novella showing how alienation and transformation affected Gregor and his family:

They had even gotten used to it, Gregor and the family, they gratefully accepted the money and he gladly gave it, although not much warm affection was given for it anymore.

(The transformation,part II)

Did he really want to turn his room into a den, a warm room furnished with the beautiful furniture he had inherited? That would have left him free to crawl in all directions, but it would also have made him quickly forget his past when he was human.

(The transformation,part II)

He got into the habit of watching it closely for an hour or two before it was opened, and then, lying in the darkness of his room where he could not be seen from the living room, he could watch the family in the light of the dinner table and listen to their conversation - with everyone's permission, in a way that is completely different than before.

(The transformation,part III)

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❓ Frequently asked questions about monstrosity and dehumanization

What do monsters symbolize in our culture?

Monsters represent the unknown and people's darkest fears. Monsters in stories often make us question what can be called a human. They also help people define social boundaries. By looking at monsters in stories, we can learn about people's perception of the world.

What do monsters tell us about ourselves as humans?

Monsters reflect people's hidden desires or fears. They are projections of people's suppressed emotions and qualities that they find difficult to acknowledge. Because monstrous creatures represent the darker side of the human psyche, they also show humans' potential to become inhuman.

When does Gregory's dehumanization begin in Metamorphosis?

Gregor's dehumanization begins before he physically transforms into an insect. He is alienated from his family and social life by work. When Gregor becomes an insect, his family also stops seeing him as a human.

How was dehumanization used in the book Night?

(Video) Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization

In Elie Wiesel's book, dehumanization is used in a way that challenges the victim's own humanity. The author shows how even good people can lose compassion when repeatedly abused or forced to live in inhumane conditions.

What is the name of Frankenstein's monster?

Frankenstein's monster is referred to in various ways throughout the book, but does not have a specific name. He is called "creature", "fiend", "wretch", "demon", "devil", "thing", "creature" and "ogre" in the novel.

🔍 References

  1. Warnings Against Medical Dehumanization: American Medical Association

    (Video) What is Dehumanization and How Do We Address It? A Conversation with David Livingstone Smith

FAQs

How are monsters portrayed in literature? ›

A monster portrayed an image of deformity and irregularity. In literary terms, it involved works that crossed the boundaries of reason and morality, presenting excessive and viciously improper scenes and characters.

How is Frankenstein dehumanized? ›

When Frankenstein creates his monster, he is stricken by the creature's unpalatable features, immediately experiencing ultimate signs of emotional defeat including guilt, shame, and fear.

What are monsters in literature and what do they represent? ›

Characteristics of a Monster

Monsters often serve as symbols of people's deep-rooted anxieties and repressed thoughts. Some monsters have a backstory that describes how they became evil or deformed. Physically, monsters can display some unnatural human or animal traits. It makes others afraid of them even more.

What do monsters represent in society? ›

However, as Botting suggests, the use of 'monster' as metaphor enables the interrogation of social or intellectual problems: monsters embody fear or excitement and monstrosity represents amoral or uncontrolled behaviour. All is channelled into emotional expression through language and in particular through metaphor.

What are two themes of monster? ›

Themes
  • Lies & Deceit.
  • Betrayal.
  • Versions of Reality.
  • Family.
  • Fear.
  • Violence.
  • Justice.
  • Isolation.

What are some examples of dehumanization? ›

One example of dehumanization might be an employer treating all their workers like robots rather than individuals — for example, by refusing to provide safe working conditions or to allow regular breaks.

How is piggy dehumanized? ›

Right away in the novel, when the main character Ralph and Piggy have all the boys congregate for the first time, Piggy is thought little of. He had glasses, was fat, had a weird accent, and had asthma. Piggy is looked down upon by even little boys just because he lacks physical attractiveness.

What are some examples of dehumanization in Chapter 3 of the night? ›

Examples of Dehumanization in Night'

The prisoners are stripped and given new clothes, often which don't fit them, and are tattooed with an identifying number. For Eliezer, his number, A-7713, becomes his new name. The guards refer to him and the others by their numbers and remove their identities.

What is the greatest monster in literary history? ›

10 of the Best Monsters in Literature
  • The Minotaur from Greek mythology.
  • Scylla from Homer's Odyssey.
  • The Kraken from Norse mythology.
  • Grendel from Beowulf.
  • The Blatant Beast from The Faerie Queene.
  • The Creature from Frankenstein.
  • Dracula from … Dracula.
  • The Beetle from The Beetle.
May 18, 2020

What is the monster theme of English literature? ›

Monster literature is a genre of literature that combines good and evil and intends to evoke a sensation of horror and terror in its readers by presenting the evil side in the form of a monster.

What are some of the symbolic indications of monsters in literature? ›

Often the Monsters are unnatural crosses between threatening creatures, such as the Sphinx who riddles Oedipus. Some Monsters, for example the Sirens who lure Odysseus, require closer inspection to recognize their deformities. Whatever the form, Monsters represent human fear of the unknown, unnatural, and unexplained.

What are the 5 types of horror monsters? ›

Furthermore, Carroll created what he called a Taxonomy of Monsters--five categories of unnatural creatures that all horror antagonists fit into: fusion, fission, magnification, massification, and horror metonymic monsters.

What are examples of a monster? ›

Well-known monsters in fiction include Count Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, werewolves, vampires, demons, mummies, and zombies.

Do monsters exist quote? ›

Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions.”

What is a quote about violence in monster? ›

“Violence here is always happening or just about ready to happen. I think these guys like it—they want it to be normal because that's what they're used to dealing with.” “It's funny, but when I'm sitting in the courtroom, I don't feel like I'm involved in the case.

What is the quote about killing monsters? ›

20 "I'll carry on killing monsters in the ruins of this world until some monster kills me." Full quote: Even if the world lies in ruin—which does not seem likely to me—I'll carry on killing monsters in the ruins of this world until some monster kills me. Geralt in the books just hits differently.

Why is it a monster quote? ›

Quote by Janice Lee: “Draw a monster. Why is it a monster?

What is the theme statement of Monster? ›

Dehumanization and Racism

Monster depicts the murder trial of Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old black kid from Harlem. Steve is accused of being an accomplice to the murder of an immigrant shopkeeper named Mr. Nesbitt, the result of a botched robbery.

What is the central theme of Monster? ›

Introspection - The theme of introspection is one of the most prevalent themes. Steve must come to terms with who he really is and so his screenplay and his journal entries are a way to try to make sense of what he has done or hasn't done in his life, and what has brought him to the point of prison.

What might be a theme in a story about a Monster? ›

Fear of the unknown and the perversion of the mundane are common themes throughout monster horror stories.

What is dehumanization in literature? ›

Dehumanization is the denial of full humanness in others and the cruelty and suffering that accompanies it. A practical definition refers to it as the viewing and treatment of other people as though they lack the mental capacities that are commonly attributed to human beings.

What does dehumanizing mean in literature? ›

: to deprive (someone or something) of human qualities, personality, or dignity: such as. : to subject (someone, such as a prisoner) to inhuman or degrading conditions or treatment.

What are dehumanizing acts? ›

Dehumanization is the act of denying humanness to other human beings. A practical definition refers to it as the viewing and treatment of other persons as if they lack mental capacities that we enjoy as human beings. Here, every act or thought that treats a person as less than human is an act of dehumanization.

How is Douglass dehumanized? ›

The author uses 'tamed' to show the animalistic views that were held against slaves, comparing them to a wild animal. Douglass' human characteristics were stripped away from him, showing the dehumanization through his alteration into an unintelligent animal working in the field.

Why did Gregor feel dehumanized? ›

Before his transformation, Gregor feels dehumanized because of the constant pressure from his boss and family to do his job. After Gregor wakes up and realizes that he has been transformed into a bug, he starts to worry about how he will go to work in order to provide for his family.

Why is Gregor dehumanized? ›

Gregor, in his job as a traveling salesman, feels trapped by his obligations to his family and to the Director. He is dehumanized by the lack of self-expression in his work, which is symbolized by his transformation into the ultimate mindless worker: an insect.

What is the dehumanization quote in Night by Elie Wiesel? ›

Dehumanization In Night By Elie Wiesel

He was so terrible that he was no longer terrible, only dehumanized.” Elie and his family just wanted to live a normal life.

How is Elie dehumanized in Night? ›

Elie and his people were stripped of their clothing, mortality, faith, and self-confidence; all while being regarded as less than actual people. Jews were faced with prodigious hardship and suffering during the Nazi reign and were treated with a status of being less than a normal human being.

What is the quote of dehumanization in Night? ›

In Night one of the ways that the Jews were dehumanized was by abuse. There were beatings, “I never felt anything except the lashes of the whip...Only the first really hurt.” (Wiesel, 57) “They were forced to dig huge trenches. When they had finished their work, the men from the Gestapo began theirs.

What are 3 famous monsters from Gothic literature? ›

The most famous monsters in English Gothic literature are Frankenstein's monster, Dr. Jekyll's alternate personality Mr. Hyde, and Dracula, and each of these monsters bears a similar, common warning.

Who is the biggest monster in Frankenstein? ›

Victor is the true monster through his actions and personality throughout the book. Victor's hostility towards the creature, obsession with creating life, and the yearning for a God-like status and power all reveal the inner monster Victor possesses.

What are examples of monsters in Gothic literature? ›

Gothic monsters lesson to explores Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, mummies, ghosts, Jekyll and Hyde and werewolves, the key conventions of Gothic monsters and antagonists, and helps students to decide on a Gothic monster archetype before they analyse a description of Dracula from Bram Stoker's original text.

Why are monsters important in Gothic literature? ›

Monsters of this literature personified the fears of society: fear of what happens when science is allowed to go too far; fear of the encroachment of contagious disease; and fear of the demons within ourselves.

What is the main idea of monsters and the moral imagination? ›

Monsters can stand as symbols of human vulnerability and crisis, and as such they play imaginative foils for thinking about our own responses to menace.

How are monsters described? ›

Monsters usually resemble bizarre, deformed, otherworldly and/or mutated animals or entirely unique creatures of varying sizes, but may also take a human form, such as mutants, ghosts and spirits, zombies or cannibals, among other things.

How do you write a description of a monster? ›

A foolish monster stood at the top of the cliff staring at us with his red, devilish eyes. He had a pale, wrinkly face. He peered around a tree and all to be seen was his pointy hair, as pointy as one hundred knives. As he came back he covered the shimmering moonlight.

How are monsters defined? ›

: something monstrous. especially : a person of unnatural or extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty. a cruel monster of a father.

What is the theme of the monsters? ›

The theme “Fear can turn human beings into monsters” is expressed flawlessly and clearly in this play. At the start of the play, a blast of screeching sound and illuminating light descends from the sky. It strikes fear and terror into the hearts and minds of the people on Maple Street.

Are monsters born or created quote? ›

“I'm telling you, monsters aren't born, they're made.”

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