Selections
The selection page displays several projects I have chosen because they exhibit strong traits. I specifically chose these projects due to the components of clarity, expressiveness, inventiveness, and creativity demonstrated.
Part II: What Is the Monster? Game
The short film, No Way Out, was so philosophical and abstract, viewers were required to sit back and thoroughly analyze the intended message. Amongst the gory scenes, it was clear that the film portrayed the struggles of mental illness and isolation.
I believe that my response was strong and intellectual because the film was left in the viewers hands to perceive it however they may. In my response, this was how I viewed the film and its symbolic elements. Therefore, this assignment was one of my favorites due to it requiring me to dissect each scene and question the film's motive. It genuinely brought me joy as I recognized the metaphorical and abstract film's intended meaning.
"My Own Monstrosity"
June 6th, an average day to most people; it should hold no meaning unless it was a birthday. Unfortunately, for those who loved me, June 6 was a curse. It started off like any other ordinary day, my siblings left the house to go hang out with their friends and my mother had already gone to work. Everyone would always seek a way to abandon me in my own home, like my father. No one ever took the time to ask if I was okay or why I spent so much time alone. Instead, they mocked me for passing through an angsty teen “phase” and made snarl remarks hinting that I was a burden. I understood the hatred my family had towards me because I was a mirror image of my mother’s failed marriage. I don’t blame them, I was just like the old man. A useless, soulless figure feeding off of the family and addicted to abuse. Self-abuse. No one ever suspected any misery surging through my sulking body or heard my cry for help. Nor did they know their own daughter was addicted to slashing her own wrists. How could anyone notice when those around me were repulsed by my existence. My classmates squirmed around me, covered their noses, and made fun of my appearance. I was ugly, worthless, and a disappointment. I had no one. No one until I sought the devil.
I was always obsessed with revenge. It got me through the torment the kids in my grade put me through. While they beat me to the ground, I could not help but pray to the grim reaper that they would suffer a victorious, but slow death.
Later that day, on June 6th, I made a deal with the devil. My soul for revenge, a rebirth. The devil touched the impaired skin on my body and called me “Karma”, told me I could condemn those who have sinned against me. To right the wrongs.
Joshua. The first culprit. I always wondered why you were so obsessed with hurting and humiliating me. Was it euphoric when you gashed into my stomach? Did you have fun carving shapes into my body with your friends? I want to know why. I want to experience this bliss...I want to be you. That’s why I followed you home that night Joshua, imagining the fun shapes I would carve into your skin. I had a goal. I wanted to hear you scream and beg for forgiveness. I want the last minutes of your life to be filled with humiliation and terror. I want to be the last thing you see.
“HEY...JOSH” He paused at the sound of my piercing voice. “I need to show you something…”
“What the hell are you doing here Kat? GO HOME. I’m not playing.”
Grinning I reached for the zipper on my jacket and unzipped it, exposing my bare body. My arms and stomach were carved out in various areas, the flesh barely hanging onto my wrist. Spiders and moths then emerged from within my ribs to peek at the victim.
He was speechless and stood there motionless. What a wimp, I thought you were fearless Josh, you were a leader. Say something.
As he continued to stare, I took a step forward and caressed his pale face.
“It’s going to be okay Joshua. I’m doing what’s best for you. Soon, you will praise me, everyone will.”
The next morning, news quickly circulated. A homicide, on 5th street. The boy cannot be identified due to his face and body being distorted from several stabbing wounds. The only trace of evidence was “KARMA” being carved into the boy’s lifeless body.
I distinctively chose this paper because I felt like I had made very strong connections between the four key elements Kate Trefry had unveiled in the film and with the little context given, I had concluded that the true identity of the monster is the revolting fear of rejection and abandonment due to societal expectations. This theory is strong to me because it was clear that Trefry intended a metaphorical representation behind all of the creepy elements she reveals, I just genuinely feel proud of myself for recognizing the metaphors. Again, I believe this paper best elucidates my ability to think outside of the box and successfully make claims with pieces of evidence I utilized in the film. In other words, I believe this paper was showcased well-informed sentences that express creativity.
"No Way Out": Response
The point taken from the short horror film, No Way Out, is to convey the struggles of severe mental illness and its grasp on the victim; making it impossible to come out of the situation whole. By wholeness, I refer to an individual who grasps an original personality, which is to say the retention of a physical and mental unity that is intrinsic to the individual health. Morgan incorporating a monster into the film was a metaphor elucidating internal strife within the protagonist and his dark thoughts because there were no signs of homicidal motives from the creature. Without a doubt, the monster was detrimental and harmful to the protagonist, but viewers can easily agree that there were countless opportunities in the film where the monster could have slaughtered the protagonist. Therefore, it is apparent that there is a pattern in the monster’s incentive, which is torment, not execution. Remember we are only witnessing the monster’s attacks when the lead is strictly awake. For instance, Morgan includes a scene of the lead waking up on the ground. He is not dead and as expected, we see the monster resuming its torment once the protagonist wakes up. Indicating that the villain is an illusion representing an ill mind. Looking back, he was only able to put up a fight because ultimately, the monster was his own menacing thoughts. Unfortunately, he was not able to persevere in his own confinement. We can see a shift in the film when various voices and whispering fill the room and prompt the protagonist to discard his own brain and thoughts. By the end of the film, it is obvious that the protagonist is deranged. From not only the hallucination the viewers now recognize and the twisted choice of self-harm. Nonetheless, the short film essentially portrays the battles of mental illness and the unfortunate results of it. Overall, Morgan’s purpose was to elucidate the pain-staking struggle one must go through themselves when battling mental illness.
This is an assignment I was so eager to write as it allowed me to explore a different writing style. I believe that this project portrayed inventiveness and creativity because it was unfortunately based on a true story. I was bullied throughout my whole life, so I decided to turn my trauma into a vengeful and malicious tale. Overall, I take pride in this story because I was able to express my fury and vindictive thoughts on paper.
In How to be Alone by Kate Trefry, we are introduced to an abstract conception of horror. According to Jason Sondhi, the film is a psychological thriller portraying mental demons representing one’s own internal anxiety. In other words, Sondhi is indicating that the substantial monster is from within, meaning she is the monster. However, I think the monster is more profound than Sondhi’s theoretical claim. I believe that the authentic monster, in this short film, is the fear of rejection and abandonment from societal norms. There is a clear pattern of shame in revealing her authentic identity as she locks away her dark secrets behind a cabinet and distracts herself with the struggle of substance abuse. Similar to alcohol, her boyfriend distracts and eases her mind from the malicious and protruding thoughts attacking her mental state. Thus, we see her demeanor switch once he leaves for work. These monsters pull her away from reality because deep down, her worst fear is rejection and neglect. The thought of being denied by society due to her obscure addiction forces her to conceal the sinister secrets from escaping resulting in insanity. Petrified of being exposed and alone to face such horrific actuality.
According to Noël Carroll's essay, The Nature of Horror, it is stated that “Suspicions of otherworldly beings are introduced only to be explained away naturalistically” (Carroll 52). Revealing Trefry’s strategical technique of introducing the three key blood-curdling elements in the film. For example, when disclosing the creepy man in the black leather suit, she expresses “Made you feel like someone was watching. And who knows, maybe they are. Maybe someone comes in. Just to watch. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”. This part in the script discloses the shameful kink she is concealing from her partner. She clearly elucidates a fetish for leather, BDSM, and being watched. We also see this lingering secret follow her guilty conscience once her boyfriend comes home from work and is followed by a group hug with the creepy man embracing the couple. Next, we are introduced to the snake. A known symbol for evil and sexual temptations. Trefry includes, “they called it the ‘wandering womb syndrome.’ Said it was an animal within an animal. Freud said the unconscious is like that too. A free-floating mind within a mind” into the script to elucidate that the snake represents herself. The fear of these revolting secrets she must hide. It demonstrates how she views herself as well. She believes that she is a sinner, evil, and secretly malicious. Continuously, viewers see a pattern of self-doubt and insecurities about self-image. Such as the next key element. The baby. The baby demonstrates a crisis in self-identity as she questions her career choice of taking pictures of babies. She fears that her boyfriend would abandon her for his coworker that is a nurse, where society has deemed as an acceptable career choice.
Overall, these societal expectations drive her to believe that she will not be accepted and therefore would end up alone and abandoned. In the last scene, we see that the last final monster she must face is in fact outside. The fog and tentacles outside of her apartment signify the fear of the unknown. The fear of acceptance and the fear of facing reality.