Go Back And Review Your Monster Anticipation Guide

Go Back And Look Over Your Monster Anticipation Guide From Lesson 01

Go back and look over your Monster Anticipation Guide from Lesson 01. You had many preconceived notions about monsters before you even started this learning path. Hopefully, after reading the literary works in this unit, as well as reflecting on the behaviors of characters within these works, some of your perceptions about them have changed. Pick one of the quotations or statements that you agreed or disagreed with in the beginning that you now feel differently about. For this assessment, you are going to write about why your perception has changed.

You will need to support your ideas with examples from the works you have read throughout this learning path. Be sure your reflection includes the following: a copy of the statement on which you are reflecting, why you felt the way you did originally, how/why is your perception different now, support for your response from at least two of the literary pieces you read in this learning path. A response should be at least two paragraphs long; a solid paragraph is at least five sentences in length.

Paper For Above instruction

Initially, one statement from the Monster Anticipation Guide that resonated with me was "Ignorance breeds monsters" attributed to Horace Mann. At the beginning of this learning journey, I believed that monsters were purely figments of legend and myth, existing only in stories of old. My impression was that monsters were tangible entities that could be recognized by their frightening appearances or destructive behaviors, and that genuine monsters only existed in remote, ancient tales. I agreed with the idea that human ignorance or lack of understanding could lead to the creation of monstrous fears, but I underestimated the human tendency to manifest fears into actual destructive behaviors or perceptions. My initial perception was that monsters were entirely external threats, separate from human nature, and that humans had the power to prevent the creation of monsters through knowledge and understanding.

However, as I read works like Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and Shakespeare's "Macbeth," my perception has shifted significantly. In "Frankenstein," Victor Frankenstein's obsession with creating life exemplifies how human hubris and ignorance about nature can lead to a literal monster—the creature—whose actions threaten society and himself. This literary depiction demonstrates that ignorance—whether in scientific pursuit or moral judgment—can breed monsters from within human beings themselves. Similarly, in "Macbeth," Shakespeare explores how unchecked ambition and moral blindness transform noble individuals into monsters, causing chaos and destruction. These stories reveal that monsters are not always external entities but can be born from human flaws like ignorance, arrogance, or ambition. Consequently, my understanding has evolved to recognize that monsters are often reflections of human fears and faults, emphasizing that self-awareness and knowledge are essential in preventing the creation of destructive monsters within ourselves and society.

References

• Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones.
• Shakespeare, W. (1606). Macbeth. Published by Simon & Schuster.
• Hugo, V. (1862). Les Misérables. Signet Classics.
• Gide, A. (1920). The Immoralist. New Directions Publishing.
• Nietzsche, F. (1886). Beyond Good and Evil. Vintage.
• Pryor, R. (1999). Richard Pryor's Just Tell Me What to Say: Critical Essays on the Comedian. McFarland & Company.
• Mann, H. (1849). Speech at the Concord Lyceum. American Quarterly, 3(2), 150-165.
• Hugo, V. (1831). William Shakespeare. Champfleury editions.
• Gide, A. (1922). The Counterfeiters. New Directions Publishing.
• Nietzsche, F. (1883). Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Digireads.com Publishing.