English Midterm

In his discussion of why people watch horror, including "torture porn", Asthma discusses catharsis, the social morality function, and torture porn as a fantasy-fulfilling mythic narrative. Explain any one of these three concepts.

-Cathartic Function: allow us to experience emotions that we're not allowed to experience emotions and get them out of our system -Social Morality Function: a virtual tour of consequences for behavior society frowns upon; changes according to the times -Social Justice-Fantasy Fulfillment: heroes overcome monsters; good people win/monsters killed

What's the difference between fear and angst?

-Fear is response to definite threat -Angst is response to something that's not concrete -something that feels "off"; vague

What physical thing does the Bible salesman, Manly Pointer, take from Joy/Hulga at the end of "Good Country" People, and what does it symbolize is being taken PSYCHOLOGICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY from Hulga?

-He steals her leg on page 590 -It symbolizes her independence being taken away

What are two main causes of the protagonist's monstrosity in Theodore Sturgeon's "Bright Segment"?

-internalized mother's voice ("no one needs you"/"you're stupid") -mental illness/developmental disability (he thought slower than others) -there's a pattern of rejection-not a one time occurrence (army recruiter, girl at school, how own mom) -no social support/no friends -free will

In Chapter 13 of Stephen Asma's On Monsters, what important emotion does Asma maintain is largely missing from serial killers?

Empathy

What is the uncanny valley and how is the character Madonna in the short story "The Swords" an example of a being that fits in the uncanny valley?

Uncanny Valley is something that describes something that seems almost normal but something is off; the natural and unnatural is meshed. Madonna is almost human but not quite because she doesn't beed, the color of her skin and hair are off; her emotional responses are off (limpness/emotionlessness)