Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
closed access
In deze scriptie wordt gekeken naar de representatie van families in contemporaine horrorfilms. Aan de hand van drie films en een terugblik op de familiehorrortraditie, wordt gekeken hoe deze...Show moreIn deze scriptie wordt gekeken naar de representatie van families in contemporaine horrorfilms. Aan de hand van drie films en een terugblik op de familiehorrortraditie, wordt gekeken hoe deze werken kritisch reflecteren op de familie als sociaal instituut.Show less
This thesis explores the ways in which the animals in Poe’s ‘The Black Cat’, du Maurier’s ‘The Birds’, Benchley’s Jaws, and King’s Cujo act as if driven by a vengeful motive. This supposed vengeful...Show moreThis thesis explores the ways in which the animals in Poe’s ‘The Black Cat’, du Maurier’s ‘The Birds’, Benchley’s Jaws, and King’s Cujo act as if driven by a vengeful motive. This supposed vengeful motive is an aspect that allows the animals to act as agents of guilt. Part of the guilt finds its origin in the history that humans and animals share, and in this thesis, specifically in the Western societies. In this shared history animals were more often than not treated horribly. However, in recent years, humans have come to think of animals quite differently than they used to. Animals and humans differ most significantly in the aspect of consciousness: where animals are merely conscious, humans are self-conscious. In horror literature the most important aspect is the monster, and a monster is almost exclusively an animal that has acquired self-consciousness. The animals in the four discussed horror narratives are all seemingly in possession of a self-conscious mind, making them horrific monsters. But, besides being a scary monster that threatens the lives of its antagonists, the acquirement of self-consciousness gives the monster a purpose, it becomes an agent of guilt. In this function the animals can confront the characters in the story with repressed feelings originating from guilt, and, more significantly, through these animals a critical view on human society is offered.Show less
The thesis reads two of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism, concluding that they each have different orientalist tendencies and analysing these with a fair...Show moreThe thesis reads two of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism, concluding that they each have different orientalist tendencies and analysing these with a fair degree of subtlety. This thesis argues against facile claims that Lovecraft was an outright racist, but argues for a nuanced approach to his ideas, keeping in mind his evolving perspective.Show less
