There is More to Monsters in Fiction than it Seems

 Those hairy beasts we see so often in movies are definitely an obstacle to overcome for the hero, whether it be to save a princess from a turtle with spikes or get a shiny gem being guarded by a 3 headed dog. But if we take a closer look, these monsters can be utilized for much more than just acting as hurdles for protagonists to overcome. Those creatures that are covered in fur, or have extremely sharp teeth, can always teach us something if we’re willing to take the time to hold a mirror out in front of us.

I think we can all agree that Bowser was a wicked person. He looked like a beast from the outside, and he was a psychopath inside. No plot twist there. But any flaw that has ever existed in a character has always been taken from an actual flaw from an actual human. If we can identify what’s wrong with Bowser, maybe we could identify what’s wrong with us. What we are doing wrong. Of course, it’s easier said than done. The turtle had his flaws accentuated so that kids could understand that, “Oh! He’s the bad guy!” Humans are usually much more guarded with the way they express their emotions; just ask a teenager. But a minor similarity can still be noticed. Maybe I should try not kidnapping people?

And then there are those monsters that society has shaped and not their own minds and desires. 

Take the movie “The Bad Guys”. The wolf, the crocodile, or the snake were robbers (and really skilled ones at that), but when their motivations were revealed on later in the movie, everybody who has seen it understood just why they took up this life of crime. It was incredibly strenuous for a wolf to get a job in HR compared to a cute and cuddly animal such as a bunny. However, in the end, these guys turned a new a leaf and become “The Good Guys”. An extremely basic and simple redemption arc. Something every human has seen a thousand times. But there’s more to it than just being happy the snake got to have a white collar job. 

Monsters in movies like this explain how the world is a lot more morally grey than it appears. Not every robber is a product of the desire for riches. Not every wolf is there to huff and puff and blow the house down.