Horror Literature

Lesson 7: Monsters: Inside and Out

The Phantom

The main character of The Phantom of the Opera is one example of human monstrosity. He is a human being like the rest of us, but the problem is that his face is horribly deformed, and he has to hide from society. This of course takes its toll on Erik’s psyche and his physical monstrosity translates into a mental disturbance as well. He enjoys terrorizing people for his own ends and justifies this with people’s monstrosity towards him. The perpetrators of this abuse towards him in turn justify their actions by the assumption that Erik is a monster. Thus monstrosity begets monstrosity, until Erik falls in love with the beautiful Christine.

Love is Erik’s salvation, and Christine’s. Of course upon seeing Erik’s face for the first time Christine reacts with horror like everyone else. But eventually love is her salvation as well. She recognizes her own monstrosity and the meanness of her and others’ reaction to Erik. Erik dies in peace and Christine lives on in hope.

Leroux’s work marries the physical horror of Erik's deformity with the deeper and more sinister horror of the reader's own psychological monster. The monster within is often more dangerous than the monster that can be seen and fled from. Therefore this other can no longer be projected for a prolonged period of time. It has to be recognized and dealt with.

Something to Think About
Think of yourself, and then of society. What psychological monsters does horror literature reveal in humanity?

More tolerant attitudes toward physical difference has manifested itself in the world today. In theory at least, there is a greater understanding of physical deformity and of people’s inner beauty. This is reflected in the novel Phantom by Susan Kay, again with Erik as the main character. Kay sketches the monster deliberately to evoke reader sympathy. He is portrayed first as a boy mistreated by his mother. When he subsequently runs away, he is mistreated by humanity as a whole. It is only at the end of the novel, and at the end of his life, that Eric learns to deal with both his monsters: his physical appearance, and the cultivated monster within. This is done through the salvation offered by Christine’s love.

Like many horror novels, Ms. Kay’s work offers us a mirror. Society and the individual sees him or herself in this mirror. King (1981:48) summarizes the idea:
"We have met the monster, and ... he is us."

When we can overcome the fear and stare the monster in the eye, salvation is begun.

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