Fear And Dehumanization In Night And The Truman Show

Fear and Dehumanization

When studying a character’s internal conflict, it’s important to not only identify what they want, but what they are trying to avoid. An everyday necessity is to grow and change, we often seek any opportunity to deflect harsh truths and realizations. Fear can lead to dehumanization because it can cause people to see others as less than human, leading to violence and discrimination. In both life and fiction, there are many examples of how fear can influence dehumanization and vice versa. Many texts prove this to be as the ideas are developed. Present in the texts, Night by Elie Wiesel, The Inevitable by Emily Dickinson, and The Truman Show, the authors show the idea that fear and dehumanization can control a person's

As the Jews are piled into a small wagon at the beginning of their torture journey they saw “strange-looking creatures, dressed in striped jackets and black pants, jumped into the wagon.” (Wiesel 28) They couldn’t recognize their own. Some Jewish people were getting called strange-looking creatures by other Jewish people because of the beatings and malnourishment they have been through. There is constant dehumanization not only with the enemies against the Jews it's within the Jews as well. The level of stress and torture these people are being put through is so inhuman and inconsiderate. Not only is this happening within the Jewish community but outsiders see them as animals, “a worker took a piece of bread out of his bag and threw it into a wagon. There was a stampede. Dozens of starving men fought desperately over a few crumbs. The worker watched the spectacle with great interest. Men were hurling themselves against each other, trampling, tearing at, and mauling each other. Beasts of prey unleashed, animals hate in their eyes." (Wisel 100-101). As soon as the food is in sight, the prisoners transform from zombies to savage animals fighting for their lives and just a

The thought of fearing something or when it will approach is what will make it come faster. Fear causes destruction and causes people to make the wrong judgments because of hesitation. Even though fear can be a burden to most it also can be helpful because it lets people live without risk. It makes people more cautious with all their actions and things that are said. As Dickinson explains the idea of fear she talks about her own experiences with fear, “while I was fearing it, it came.” When realizing what you fear, you are more likely to be scared and hurt by the fear. Since it has been feared for so long that idea of fear starts to fade without realizing it because it is normal at some point. Fearing something for so long can make someone lose hope in certain accomplishments and fights. Some people will live in fear because of the thought that what they fear will eventually catch up to them, “Tis harder knowing it is due, Than knowing it is here.” Again the idea of it coming and the build-up is scarier than when it is happening. This poem has expanded the explanation of fear within society and how people will live in fear forever no matter the level of distress. This text created a new perspective on how the idea of fear can create another side to the story with the thought of fear and how most fear the idea of fear before it