All Humans Are Monsters. That Is Not A Good Thing Or Bad

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a monster is described as “part animal and part human”, “ferocious”, “ugly”, and “frightening”. Yet at the same time, a monster can be “amazing” and “extraordinary” . From these characteristics alone, a monster can essentially be anything. In the literal sense, a monster is perceived to be large and physically grotesque, however inner qualities of monstrosity can be easily masked, and are therefore often overlooked. Three 19th century novels, Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reveal both physical and mental qualities of monstrosity through the characters and demonstrate how these qualities relate to one another.

When analyzed online many of the definitions you will find for the word monster include: a strange or horrible imaginary creature, one who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior, or an animal of strange and/or terrifying shape. (Merriam Webster) When observing the “Monster Theory” by Jeffrey Cohen and the 7 theses that he provides in this text, one can begin to somewhat disagree with these formal definitions and attempt to say that it has an even greater meaning. Monsters might scare us and frighten us because of their physical appearances but also can provide us with possible solutions to gaps and uncertainties in our mind that Sigmund Freud would label as “The Uncanny”. I can only but agree with

When people think of monsters, the first thing that pops into their head is Frankenstein, zombies, creatures of the night. Monsters are scary. Monsters in society reveal peoples fears and anxieties, their preconceived notions of normality, and represent the unknown.

Oxford dictionary defines monster as, “Originally: a mythical creature which is part animal and part human, or combines elements of two or more animal forms, and is frequently of great size and ferocious appearance. Later, more generally: any imaginary creature that is large, ugly, and frightening. (Oxford English Dictionary)” This definition is basic in nature. What must be added is whether it is nature that makes the monster what it is or is it nurture that makes it what it is. In both Beowulf and Frankenstein the monster complex engages, complicates and has an effect on us. Beowulf has to battle Grendel, his mom, and the dragon to do his duty as a warrior, but the monsters only make it more difficult to tell

What defines a monster? Is it their grotesque, unnatural appearance that separates them from the rest of mankind, or is it their lack of remorse and compassion that makes them different? The word monster conjures up figures from gothic horror of exotic peoples with horrifyingly exaggerated features, and the kinds of impossible delusive beasts inhabiting the pages of medieval bestiaries. Well at first I thought exactly that. When I used to hear the word “monster”, my mind immediately pictured the petrifying beast that took residence under my bed for a substantial portion of my childhood. It had demonic beating red eyes, razor sharp teeth that glistened with fresh blood and amphibian like scales covering every inch of its enormous body. However, as I got older, I started to realize that there was no such thing as monsters and that it was all just a figment of my imagination. Accordingly, the fear of the monster under my bed slowly dissipated. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until after reading a quote by my favorite author, Steven King, that I was finally able to fully comprehend what the true definition of the word “monster” really was. “Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win”. It had taken me awhile to truly grasp what King had meant, but then it clicked. Everyone has a monster inside them, dormant or not. That monster is the voice we hear in the back of our heads, urging us to cheat or to steal, and in some instances, worse. That monster

Finding a single interpretation of the word monsters is very challenging because of the numerous forms, ranging from folk stories to current movies and books.

What defines a monster? Is it one’s appearance or one’s actions? In today’s society, a monster is often considered evil or inhumane. In Frankenstein, the creation that Victor Frankenstein makes is called the monster, but throughout the book we are shown the compassion of the creature and the monster-like qualities in Frankenstein. The creature with “his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion, and straight black lips” (Shelley 35) caused people to fear and judge him only off of appearance, never getting to know the true morals of him. Victor Frankenstein can not only be labeled a monster, but also a sociopath. Being a sociopath does not always mean being a monster, but in today’s society the two terms often go hand in hand with one another. According to the American Psychiatric Association there are seven diagnostic criteria that categorize a sociopath. Included in those seven are three major ones that Victor Frankenstein shows throughout the novel: extreme antisocial attitude and behavior, pattern of irresponsibly, and lack of remorse for actions

English 102 is a college level of reading and writing course based on the theme monster. When I started the class, I thought monsters as scary creature in the books and movies. As I progressed in English 102, I found out monsters is more than what I though t is. Monsters can represent the fear of people and society, a problem in a society, something that is keep coming back and coming back(Such as financial crisis), natural hazard and danger. It also can serve as a warning; so, people avoid the same mistakes.

Find the definition of what a monster is and it means multiple things. Two definitions that are applicable to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein define monster as an imaginary monster that is large, ugly, and frightening or; as a person of repulsively unnatural character that exhibits extreme cruelty or wickedness as to appear inhuman (Oxford English Dictionary). While both meanings differ, the latter definition seeks to give negative character traits to an inhuman monster. However, the creation of a monster should not imply that monsters are inherently cruel or wicked. The traits associated with the term monster are a construct of what people believe inhuman monsters possess. By this logic,

The monster was once portrayed and a very intelligent and emotional creature with exact human psychology.

What is a monster? The word "monster" causes one to imagine a hideous, deformed or nonhuman creature that appears in horror movies and novels and terrifies everyone in its path. More importantly, however, the creature described generally behaves monstrously, doing things which harm society and acting with little consideration for the feelings and safety of others. "Thus, it is the behavior which primarily defines a monster, rather than its physical appearance"(Levine 13).

All human beings, from birth to death, have an evil part of them used to survive hidden deep inside their mind. This is evident in babies who can seem innocent but really have a selfish attitude towards others since their only goal in life is to have their needs met. Evidence of this being true can be found in William Golding’s The Lord of The Flies and the film adaptation of The Hunger Games. Mankind is inherently evil but civilization changes us, we always go back to our evil side, and without a good government or set of rules we all become savages.

Although those around him did not see the monster as human, he clearly displays human characteristics, the most prominent being that of emotion. To be fully human, a person must feel emotions. Without emotions people’s minds can become corrupted which drives people to struggle in making decisions, people can also miss out on life changing experiences and, most

Monsters have proven to be more than just the fiendish appearance or the evil within such creatures – their monstrosity symbolizes, more or less, the characteristics that define mankind and/or our innermost fears. Prior to this Exploration of the Humanities course, I have interpreted monsters for what they are: heartless and destructive creatures that generate fear. However, I never bothered what the true cause of such fear is – only associating the gruesome presence with a psychological reaction of horror. But taking this class allowed me to broaden my perspective on monsters and monstrosity: humans fear the “Other” because we as individuals have an “Other” within us (subconsciously) that we are not willing to show to those in our

How is the term “monster” defined? Are monsters dark creatures, with the ability to call upon hell and all its attributes? Do they have mangy fur and eyes the vibrant color of blood? In reality, monsters are not furry beast that live under the bed. Monsters are born into this world just as you and I, as human children.Children who utilize false innocents to cloak their wicked tendencies. Monsters are no longer simply being that haunt the nightmares of children, no longer can they be vanquished by the flip of a light switch. Monsters are real, they are individuals that have traveled so deep into the darkness of their own soul that they have lost their way out. As human beings we are gifted with free will, therefore we have the ability to chose what side ,light or dark, prevails in our hearts. With fierce unwavering determination, we even possess the power to fight away the darkness with in the hearts of others.