FINAL ESSAY OPTION 1

OPTION 1: RESEARCH A MONSTER

For option one, your paper must center on one particular monster other than the vampire. The definition of the word monster here is any real or imagined being that generally fits into at least two of the monster theses categories as outlined in Monster Theory, and about which there is enough research on to write a 3-5 page paper. 

You are to write an essay about your monster as a representation of a specific culture's fears and desires. Remember, a monster is a vessel in which certain cultural fears and desires are embodied. You will need to be specific about which particular fears and desires your monster embodies, as well as which specific culture (you need to be able to label explicitly a time frame and place; you may use a film or novel to help you locate these) they are in relationship with. For example, Dracula was an embodiment of 1800's Victorian England's specific fears of women's sexual expression, and the British colonization of various cultures and people across the globe, among other things. Mention the time and place and the specific fears and desires in your intro. You will likely want to focus on just two or three major fears or desires and unpack those, instead of going through a long laundry list. Make sure you can connect them to each other in a natural way.

A good strategy for beginning this assignment:

1. Make sure it’s a monster that you are intrigued by.  Do a little reading on basic Internet sites (Wikipedia is a good start, for instance) on the monster and its

context/background. Then look at the Monster Theses and see how your monster represents some of the research-worthy attributes of monsters.

2. Plan to spend some time reading in the library – or on the library’s online databases, free e-periodicals, or other scholarly websites – in order to get some weightier sources on the questions you want to answer, as well as your interest.  You may also want to read film reviews if you are basing your monster on a movie (sources such as the New York Times and Boston Globe are good ones). Learn what you know and what you still need to know.  As you research, your topic will keep expanding.  Go with it.  Don’t keep it in a box.  Be willing to question your position. And most importantly—make sure before you begin that there is enough scholarly, appropriate research for you to work with!

This preliminary research will help you turn a subject into a topic.  When you have a subject, you have something to talk (or write) about; but with a topic, you also have something to say about it (A CLAIM!). You do not want to write a “report” or informational essay on your monster—you must make a claim about its relationship to culture. Remember, the monster is only a lens through which you are exploring culture.

Note: It's your job to make sure you do not pick a monster until you've done enough preliminary research to ensure that you can write about it successfully for at least 3 full pages. 

TOPIC Example:

Belief in Bigfoot operates as a salve against the contemporary American fear of ecological destruction, in this era of global warming and other ecological disasters. As long as Bigfoot safely roams the forest as an emissary, this mitigates our guilt and calms our worries for the future.

The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park represent a fear of scientific technological advancement and the consequences of cloning, as well as a desire of American capitalism to turn everything into a commercial product, as represented by the "theme park" element of the story.

There are many, many more options.  Get thinking, get creative, and start asking questions.  

Some examples of monsters that could be good ones to write about: Sasquatch, aliens, witches, demons, serial killers, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, etc. You should talk about specific monsters within these categories such as, say, Hannibal Lecter the serial killer, La Llorona (the weeping ghost), George Romero's zombies in a specific film such as Night of the Living Dead, etc. Don't just generally talk about zombies, ghosts, etc. because there is too much to unpack.

Please note that if you are discussing a real person who has been deemed a monster in society's eyes, you need to consider primarily their representation in culture and how culture has "monsterized them." What does their representation in culture say about culture's fears and desires? Do not focus on "what really happened." For example, Ted Bundy the serial killer tapped into a fear that the innocent boy next door might not be so innocent after all, that America and the suburbs were not safe spaces, etc. If this sounds too hard, stick to a monster you know is "fake."

You may not select for your monster any creature, such as the Komodo dragon, who is in fact "real" and yet not particularly representational of any cultural fears or desires. A good way to test whether or not a “real” monster represents larger cultural concerns is to see if there is academic research on it, and if there have been any horror movies made about it.

Basic Requirements:

This essay will combine all the skills you've learned in INTD 100. It is a research essay, and it will require a strong thesis that is clearly arguable, well qualified, and specific. Stick to your thesis throughout—and make sure that your research supports your thesis and underscores its main points. Make sure to include a Works Cited page and note that this Works Cited page does not count toward the 3-5 page count requirement.

There must be sufficient research on your topic, so that you will not have trouble finding materials. 

You will be required to have at least three outside sources for this essay. Two must come from the library’s databases, and they must be articles and/or books. However, you may have additional acceptable (.org or .edu) web sources, or film sources. It is imperative, however, that you quote from and rely on your library sources and include your Monster Thesis notes in your essay.

Good luck and have fun!