Why do folks believe in monsters? What purpose do monsters serve?
Monsters are fictional creatures that can be found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology, and religion. In literature, monsters are commonly depicted as aggressive beings with a strange and grotesque appearance, designed to evoke fear and terror, especially among humans.
Monster is derived from the Latin word monstrum, which originates from the verb moneo meaning “to remind, warn, instruct, or foretell.”
Thus, monsters do not arise from a cultural vacuum but from society. Monsters typically possess a literary & cultural legacy and satisfy a valuable role in civilization.
Monsters will uphold morality (honesty and integrity will be rewarded by the monster, while sins will be punished)
Monsters will enforce taboos (they help stamp out forbidden practices)
Monsters will help connect humans to divinity (some monsters provide interaction and messaging from deity to human)
Monsters will warn against unseen dangers (for example, don’t swim in dark waters at night, don't stand near the lip of a volcano)
Monsters will establish or uphold sensible proprieties. (For example, a monster will reinforce standards of decency and politeness such as don’t dance naked in the moonlight, or don’t eat your own bogies!)
Monsters will remind folks of precautions & preventatives (for example, they might remind folk to wear a scarf in the cold, or take a stick with them when travelling in the woods)
Monsters will help maintain a general state of preparedness (for example, they could remind you to hide your family inside during storms, otherwise the monster will grab you, or don't venture into high places alone, or the Yeti will take you.)
Neil Mach is highly regarded in the field of fantasy studies and has authored So You Want to Write Fantasy? It’s a fascinating manual that delves into fantasy perspectives.
