3. Summary on “Wolves and Widows - Naming, Metaphor, and the Language of Serial Murder” by Wendy M. Zirngibl
Introduction
In this chapter, the author, Windy Zirngibl, takes the stories of two killers in Montana as the starting point, analyzing the mode of naming the serial killers and the metaphor in the nickname of serial killers, based on specific philosophical theories. Therefore, this passage will endeavor to summarize the author’s ideas in detail.
Summary
In the first part, the author utilizes narration as a way of introducing the origin of “White Wolf” and “Black Widow”. The story of “White Wolf” took place in Montana, when the serial killer followed two young girls and murdered the older girl in brutal ways. In fact, the serial killer was notorious in Montana for 15 years, because the murder methods of the killer
…show more content…
On the one hand, negative metaphors of wolf have a long history, as the wolf has always been regarded as an evil creature in the human culture, for example, wolf metaphor can be used to describe pervert men erotically dreaming of women (Zirgnibl 172). In this way, the nickname “White Wolf” for serial killers has become extremely convincing to the public, because the wolf metaphor has the ability to combine people’s negative feeling about the wolf with their condemnation to killers’ villainy (Zirgnibl 173). On the other hand, the author demonstrates that metaphor plays a role in comparing two subjects sharing similar features (“substitution theory”), and in speaking of the wolf, it enables people to focus on the negative features of wolf that the serial killer shares (Zirgnibl 173-74). And due to the process of “mutual enhancement” (“interactionist theory”), the metaphor also has the power to elevate the meaning of wolf and serial killer, which makes the nickname become more meaningful and believable (Zirgnibl