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Stereotypes: Similarities Between Fictional Monsters And Humans

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For many centuries, monsters have come in many various forms and sizes. Historically, humans have defined them as possessing supernatural abilities, a menacing appearance, and a desire to commit evil deeds to wreak havoc on humanity. Despite how humans have chronologically depicted monsters as bloodthirsty creatures whose sole purpose is to cause mass destruction, they rarely perceive themselves as one. In many real-life events, the world has shown numerous times how humans can also cause similar, if not worse, destruction to that of a monster. In order to show how humans are monsters to the audience, this essay will aim to highlight the similarities between fictional monsters and humans by thoroughly comparing the monsters' characteristics …show more content…

One clear example of a monster that excessively lacks empathy is the monster from Bram Stoker’s famous work, Count Dracula. Count Dracula is a vampire known for his supernatural abilities, possessing superhuman strength and extraordinary speed, the ability to transform into various nightly creatures, and the ability to control minds after inflicting his victims with his undead curse. Although he possesses several skills that could enable him to accomplish any goal, he deliberately utilizes his abilities to cause harm. When initiating his attacks, Count Dracula feels no remorse for his victims’ pain and suffering, but he relishes his time with his victim, even going as far as to prolong his victims' suffering. As a clear example of Dracula’s cruelty, Lucy Westenra is one of Dracula’s victims. In chapter 11 of Lucy Westrenra’s diary, she has written the following in her …show more content…

On the night of the attack, she witnessed one of Dracula’s abilities and was left defenseless. As previously mentioned, one of Dracula’s abilities was the ability to transform into any nightly creature, and he used it to take the form of a wolf and a bat. He observes Lucy as a bat and breaks into her residence as a wolf. The abnormality that Dracula displays by transforming into a wolf and a bat shows Lucy the fear of the unknown. While unleashing this fear, he draws a clear distinction that he is not a normal human being. By deliberately making that distinction, he purposefully attacks Lucy mentally by conveying the message that there is no escape from a terrifying monster like him. This fear that he imposes simply fulfills his pleasure of seeing Lucy suffer in

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To answer the question of “Who is the monster?” when talking about “War of the worlds” and “Monsters”, one must understand what a monster is. A monster is not simply a creature so ugly or monstrous it frightens people, it can also be defined as a person or thing who excites horror by wickedness or cruelty. This second definition establishes that we, humans, can be classed as a monster even if we do not fit the stereotypical description of what a monster looks like. This question is an important

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Her life has left her to Dracula, her soul is assumed trapped, and her flesh remains the same. The process even corrupts Lucy into a nightmarish version of herself. In her UnDeath Lucy specifically feeds on the blood of children (Stoker 198). It’s almost like Dracula corrupted Lucy into a dark version of motherhood. Instead of protecting children, she predates

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Through Mina’s point of view is how we discover that Lucy has begun to sleepwalk at nights. Later on we discover that this is caused by Dracula so he can drink her blood and her his so she would eventually turn into a vampire like him. Sleepwalking is often linked with illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Mina describes that after they discovered the body of the man strapped to the wheel of the ship, that they were both restless but mainly Lucy.

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Ever since his creation, the Monster was a peaceful creature, but his disposition soon changed after the family’s rejection. He recounted that “‘The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind’” (Shelley 152). The Monster’s feelings changed in just “a few moments,” revealing how quickly the family’s rejection caused him to abandon his original “kindness” and trade it for negative emotions.

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The character Lucy is described as the most innocent character in “Dracula” which is why she is loved by both the characters in the novel as well as the reader. Lucy is thought to be a more traditional woman, in the sense that she is chaste and pure, making her more desirable. She has three different men proposing to her and has the ability to choose the one that she likes the best. Lucy’s purity is sought after because this is how a traditional Victorian woman should act in the eyes of society.

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