Free Essay

Supernatural Violence

In: English and Literature

Submitted By hjiordis
Words 653
Pages 3
The modern day is the advent of technology and entertainment. With so many people able to access the internet and satellite television, some fear the impact and influence of popular television and movies on viewers. As television shows are gradually becoming more and more violent, a part of society believes that shows such as Supernatural, a realistic fiction program hosted by the CW, negatively impact viewers ability to handle stressful situations without violence. To understand why this show, and others like it, are so popular, the genre of violent fiction and its true impact must be examined.

In the wake of the concern about the impact of violent television on viewers, Lecturer Magdalena Andrés of the Autonomous University of Barcelona hosted a study evaluating how viewers perceive violence on tv, with intriguing results. She discovered that even young viewers had a distinct differentiation between violent fiction, and more realistic violence. Evidence suggests that viewers choose to watch violent fiction only if there is a second attraction to the show, such as comedy, fantasy, or a good storyline. Surprisingly, most of those involved in the study reported that they found the real violence of society to be more brutal than that of fiction tv shows. Further into her study, Andres uncovered proof that while viewers were exposed to violent television, most showed no obvious negative effects, unless they had personally been victims of violence.
The CW’s show Supernatural certainly meets requirements to be considered a violent piece of fiction, as most if not all of its episodes include at least one death on screen, and copious amount of blood, swearing and fights. One episode is even bluntly titled “Sex and Violence” the biggest fears of protective parents when regulating shows for their children. Yet Supernatural is part of the “Big Three” popular shows in nerd culture, sitting side by side with Doctor Who and Sherlock, both hosted by BBC. IMDb, or the Internet Movie Database, lists Supernatural as the second most popular show in the supernatural genre, just behind True Blood. Many fans are concerned about a particular aspect of the violence in the show. Much of the female cast is either the antagonist or a plot device, ending up brutally murdered within a few episodes of appearing. Oftentimes their deaths are used to deepen the development of male characters and motivate them into action. In the very first episode of the first season, viewers meet Jessica, Sam’s beautiful girlfriend, who he leaves behind to go looking for his father with his brother Dean. Upon his return, he finds Jessica bleeding on the ceiling as she is engulfed in flames. For the next season and a half, the writers make it abundantly clear that Jessica's death is the sole motivator for Sam to take up hunting again. One of the shows main actors, Misha Collins, has publicly commented on the topic at a panel in New Jersey, asking the open ended question, “Why do they have to say bitch, and kill all the women?” In the same panel he mentions the show being “gratuitously misogynistic when it doesn’t need to be.” If even the actors themselves are questioning the amount of violence, especially that against women, contained in a show, perhaps the writers should rethink their plot strategy.
In a society where violence sells product and gets the best ratings, many shows contain graphic amounts of it. The growing violent culture has sparked concerns for the influence of violent television on viewers. To understand the popularity of violence, its effects need to be known.

Sources
Violence, Sex and TV: The Adolescent View, Magdelena Andrés, Quaderns del CAC: Issue 22
Misha Collins njcon 7/9 posted on youtube by user joelario
Violence in Television Drama: Trends and Social Functions George Gerbner, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1972.
Some ideas on how Supernatural can stop being so misogynistic, user slightlypsychicparade on tumblr.com, May 10, 2013

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Medieval and Renaissance Literature Comparative Essay

...and free- thinking. Both canonical texts provide significant insight into both the Medieval and Renaissance era. These concepts are explored through the principals of Christianity and the prevailing conflict during each context time. The importance of religion were relevant in both contexts, Beowulf reinforcing the beliefs of the time while Faustus indicates Britain's shift to humanist values and intensified the assertion of personal independence and individual expression. Beowulf demonstrates his trust in God easily into Christian context and repeatedly acknowledges God as his protector. “The captain of evil discovered himself in a grip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth.” Allusion to supernatural powers and biblical allusions allow emphasis how Grendel is inherently evil and therefore is destined to lose the battle, especially as God is not on his side but in fact Grendel's. Additionally, the constant reference to God’s decrees encourages the reader to place reliance in God. “Then he who...

Words: 718 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A2 English Literature Gothic Terms

...OPPOSITE EXTREMES Also known as polar opposites. OPPOSITE EXTREMES Also known as polar opposites. CONFLICT Can be physical, or a clash of ideas / desires. CONFLICT Can be physical, or a clash of ideas / desires. ABERRATION Something that should be natural but has gone wrong. ABERRATION Something that should be natural but has gone wrong. TERROR Extreme fear. TERROR Extreme fear. AWE A sense of wonder (can be uplifting, or frightening). AWE A sense of wonder (can be uplifting, or frightening). THE SUPERNATURAL Whatever cannot be explained in the physical world. THE SUPERNATURAL Whatever cannot be explained in the physical world. DARKNESS May be literal or metaphorical. DARKNESS May be literal or metaphorical. ENTRAPMENT Can be physically luring someone into a place, situation or relationship, or mentally entrapping them into wrong ideas. ENTRAPMENT Can be physically luring someone into a place, situation or relationship, or mentally entrapping them into wrong ideas. IMPRISONMENT Physical. IMPRISONMENT Physical. OVER-REACHING Aiming too high, or for something you shouldn’t have. OVER-REACHING Aiming too high, or for something you shouldn’t have. MARGINAL Feeling or being on the edge of things either physically or emotionally / socially. MARGINAL Feeling or being on the edge of things either physically or emotionally / socially. PREDATORY Preying on others, either to physically harm them, or emotionally...

Words: 423 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Religion Debate

...is time-consuming and requires effort, yet people still do it. Why is this? The answer is, because religion helps calm the human mind. Usually, people who are in need of something to believe in start practicing religion. Even atheist people have at least heard of Christianity and about Jesus. If an Atheist person were to be put in a life-threatening situation, such as a natural disaster, he or she would most likely start to pray to God. This is because harsh conditions and situations make people lose hope. They feel the need to believe in some kind of supernatural power that surpasses their own. They feel the need to rely on an existence higher than themselves, because they feel they are in a situation that is far beyond their control and power. Most human-started traditions of praying to animals have come to an end, something only done in the past. In the past, certain animals were considered to have supernatural powers, in...

Words: 1283 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Spanish

...The Taino and the Spanish Cristóbal Colón landed on an unknown island in the Caribbean on October 10, 1492. He planted banners in the beach claiming the land for the Spanish throne. Colón’s perceptions and interactions with the indigenous people, the Taino, sparked the events that lead to the colonization of the Americas. Colón’s perceptions of the Taino were misinterpreted by him. His misconceptions about the Taino were built from a compilation of his own expectations, readings of other explorers, and strong religious influence in Western Europe. The Taino also misunderstood the Spanish as well. Their false beliefs about the Spanish were driven by their religious beliefs as well as their mythology. Through misunderstandings backed by the religions, physical appearances, and the histories of both the Taino and the Spanish, the Taino believed that the Spanish were god-like figures that fell from the sky, while the Taino were perceived by the Spanish as simplistic, uncultured natives, that would be easily converted to Christianity and used as servants (Wilson, Hispanola p. 48-49).1 To better comprehend these events one must look at the preceeding events in both the lives of the Taino and The Spanish. Before the time of Cristóbal Colón, Spain had recently had several encounters with colonization. They had taken over the kingdom of Granada and the Canary Islands. These colonizations gave Spain their model for subsequent colonizations. The dominance of Christianity in the colonizations...

Words: 1233 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Normal Paer

...1. Affable: (adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to 2. Aggrandize: (v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater 3. Amorphous: (adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion 4. Aura: (n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality 5. Contraband: (n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited 6. Erudite: (adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic 7. Gossamer: (adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth 8. Infer: (v.) to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply 9. Inscrutable: (adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically 10. Insular: (adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience 11. Irrevocable: (adj.) incapable of being changed or called back 12. Propensity: (n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward 13. Querulous: (adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful 14. Remonstrate: (v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to 15. Repudiate: (v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of | WOWs Week 11 - 1.inadvertent - (adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental 2.nominal - (adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small...

Words: 705 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Supernatural

...Supernatural Quotes  all day? I mean I drive fast and I listen to the SAMe album like 5 times over, I'm annoying,I know that! And you... (DEAN pauses) You're gassy! I mean you eat like half of a burrito and you're... toxic! 2x17 Heart  SAM: DEAN, could you be a bigger geek about this? DEAN: I'm sorry, man, but what about a human-by-day, freak-animal-killing-machine-by-moonlight don't you understand? I mean werewolves are badass. We haven't seen onesince we were kids. SAM: Okay, Sparky, and you know what, after we kill it, we can go to Disneyland. 2x13 Houses of the Holy  (to DEAN after he asks for more quarters for the vibrating bed) SAM: Dude, I'm not enabling your sick habit. You're like one of those lab rats thatpushes the pleasure button instead of the food button until it dies. 1x05 Bloody Mary  SAM: Why'd you let me fall asleep? DEAN: Because I am an awesome brother. What did you dream about? SAM: Lollipops and candy canes. 2x02 Everybody Loves a Clown DEAN: I know what you're thinking: Why did it have to be clowns! SAM: Gimme a break. DEAN: You didn't think I remembered, did you? Come on, man, you still bust out crying when you see Ronald McDonald on the television. SAM: At least I'm not afraid of flying. DEAN: Planes crash! SAM: And apparently clowns kill. 2x03 Bloodlust  SAM, to DEAN: Give you a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and you're Mr. Sunshine… 2x04 Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things DEAN: I hear you...

Words: 2781 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

No Angel

...------------------------------------------------- No Angel Summary “No Angel” is a novel written by Bernie McGill, and takes place in contemporary Northern Ireland. The story is about a woman named Annie, who has lost her mom, dad and brother. Thru the story she keeps seeing and hearing her dad, and we hear about her and how her family died. In the end Annie sees her whole family gathered together. Characterization We are dealing with 5 characters in the story. The main character is Annie, who we don’t know much facts or details about. We know that she is an iris woman who has lost her family. We are told that Annie’s seventeen years old brother Robbie was beaten to death – “The coroner said he thought a car had hit him: after the beating, he said, when he had been left on the road” Their mother are in a lot of grief, because of her sons dead, and six months after the murder she all of a sudden dies – “Mum lasted six months of barely speaking, food hardly passing her lips. She dropped like a stone one day in the kitchen; never spoke again”.After that it was just Annie and her dad for twenty years, until his lungs gave away, and he died too. Annie has a boyfriend named Thomas. After the meetings and jibes from her father about Thomas, it downs on her, that her and Thomas aren’t going to last. –“We didn’t last. I think it was Thomas’s confidence I fell for”. This is one of the things that show Annie needs some kind of guidance in her life, and as soon as she discover Thomas...

Words: 920 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Myths

...Mythology HUM105 08/12/2015 Prof. Lester Lopez Nieves Foundations of Mythology Mythology is in my opinion if not a well-known subject it is by far a very much talked about subject. Everyone I know I know always has different type of opinion or ways of seeing what exactly mythology is. Well, know I get the chance to further my knowledge and understand a little more about what mythology is exactly and have my own opinion about it. After reading the chapters and analyzing them the word myth is defined in my words as some type a story, maybe even a special story that concerns early history of some people or some type of explaining of a social or natural phenomenon. In my opinion it involves supernatural things or events. So, the statement "It's a myth" can mean different things to different people. To me it means something that is maybe unexplainable or not real, but to other it may mean some type of historic event that were told when they were children and to this day believe it is true. If I were to describe "myths" in my own words I will say that myths is something that we grow up with. Where I am from they taught me about "El chupacabra", this in Puerto Rico means some kind of animal that lives in the woods and eats cows. In some other understanding I will say it sometimes means history of our ancestors that many times we find them hard to believe. In the world we live in today we have so many different sets of minds and different...

Words: 1057 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Did You See That Thing

...with something that might interrupted in your life or even make you better in life Those who has that given with this incredibility usually called a sixth sense.When you have this super incredible thing usually you are more special because you can see the thing!That others can’t see and until now this thing still be question or mysteriousThat cannot be explain by science.The Thing of Paranormal and Supernatural. There is some quotes from anchor abc27 News, Dennis Owens about this Thing.“All of you out there who believe in telephaty, raise your hand. All right now.everyone,who believes in telekinesis raise my hand” (Kelly, 2014) Today I will bring your attention about difference between paranormal and supernatural .There are three main point or important thing that I would like to share with you all about this ‘thing’.First, Paranormal and Supernatural have it owns definition and meaning also when this two terms start being used.Second, There are still no answer until now, that science can’t explained about Paranormal and supernatural.Then, Paranormal and Supernatural thing have become famous lately due to media press.Without wasting our time anymore,let’s get...

Words: 1366 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Are Science and Religion at Odds

...Essay Final Draft In a world that values knowledge so dearly, and bases judgment off of tangible evidence, Christians often come under fire for having faith in the supernatural. The scientific community and religious people have disagreed for centuries, but steps are being taken towards the integration of the two fields. Science and religion may finally not be at odds anymore. Instead of using science to disprove God, it should be used to grow closer to Him. God gave humanity a curious nature, and it should be used to pursue Him and understand the world He created. We now live in the era of information and science, and we must open our belief systems to these things. Science, by definition, is systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation (Dictionary.com). Religion and science are both ways in which we try to understand the world we live in, “but science is a way of knowing that differs from other ways in its dependence on empirical evidence and testable explanations” (Evolution Resources…). If the scientific method, the process by which these observations are made and evidence is collected, is the foundation for the worldview that to understand the universe, one must look only at the universe. On the other hand, religious people use supernatural entities to explain natural occurrences in this world. From this perspective, complex natural occurrences, such as the stars, point toward a Creator: “The heavens declare...

Words: 663 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Evaluate How Effectively the Author Creates a Horror Story in 'the Monkey's Paw'

...Throughout the tale of The Monkey’s Paw, the weather, similar sinister contrasts in atmosphere, death and fore-shadowing in the re-incarnation of another, are constantly intertwined to provide the perfect detail in aspect of tension and horror surrounding ‘The Monkey’s Paw.’ The use of such outlooks creates an in-sight into the life of the White family without necessarily stating the obvious, allowing us to understand their undulating journey through mystery and misery combined. Weather and overall environment play a huge role in this somewhat staged life belonging to the White family. As soon as you commence scrutinizing the first page, without having even to deduce the sly connotations imprinted, the weather springs out in your mind to set the ideal scene: darkness, dreariness and death. From the very first to the very last, contrast is used to constantly unsettle your mind, most specifically in the turbulent weathering systems: “Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnum Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly.” The striking definition and distinction betwixt both internal and external night ‘life’ is most certainly one of eeriness. The hostility of a stormy night that is almost automatically referenced to the damp and bitterness of the evening creates an apprehension of misfortune and death; the era in which the novel was written was also one of suspicion and most likely would have regarded such a night to be as arid...

Words: 980 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere, Briefly Examine Some of the Problems in Defining Religion (18 Marks)

...highlights the fact that there is not just one way of defining religion and it is up to the individual to decide how they define religion as a whole. For example Robertson states that religion is “the existence of supernatural beings which have a governing effect on life”; whereas Tylor argues that religion came into being to explain events and experiences that had otherwise appeared inexplicable, for example dreams, visions and death. The functional definition says what religion does; it’s purpose or function and what its contribution to society may be. Religion unites people together in communities, provides a sense of belonging and a sense of common identity. It also helps people by giving explanations for why people die and why there is suffering, it gives people comfort and hope for better things in life. This definition tends to be broad and is called inclusivity because they include so much, often it even includes things that not everyone would see as religious. Although sometime this particular definition is seen as too inclusive and if we use this definition we would find a lot more religion in the world than if another definition is used. A substantive definition tells us what religion is, for example the content/substance of religion; this includes the supernatural beliefs, beliefs in God, the afterlife, etc. This definition is narrow and criticised for being too...

Words: 567 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Handsomest Drowned Man and the Old Man with Enormous Wings Comparison

...imagination”. They also have different effects on the story. The old man, has a positive effect on the story. Since he appeared in the story, Pelayo’s family got lucky. Several events can prove this, in paragraph 4, “the child woke up without a fever and with a desire to eat” and in paragraph 11, “with the money they saved they built a two-story mansion…” On the other hand, Esteban has quite a negative effect in the story. Since he appeared in the story, the women started comparing their husbands to him and because of this the women started to view their husbands as weak. This event can be seen in paragraph 4, “They secretly compared him to their own men…” In terms of irony, the old man, even though he is an angel a supernatural being, was portrayed as an ugly old man who doesn’t even resemble an angel. We can see this in paragraph 2, “He was dressed like a rag picker. There were only a few faded hairs left on his...

Words: 807 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Comparing Henry James’ Novella the Turn of the Screw with Jack Clayton's Film the Innocents.

...The Innocents, a film directed by Jack Clayton, adapted from Henry James’ short novel The Turn of the Screw by John Mortimer, William Archibald and Truman Capote, can be argued to have subject matter of either a supernatural or psychological nature. The same can be said for Henry James’ original, but having digested both texts it is made clear to me that there are some very noticeable differences between the two, that both hinder and enhance our understanding of the stories. In both the film and the novella, the principal story is narrated, somewhat unreliably, by Miss Giddens, the governess appointed to care for the two children by their uncle. In Henry James’ version however, the story is framed in the prologue by an unknown character, Douglas, who introduces the story to a few friends at a house party. In the film, we see Miss Giddens crying with her hands together as if praying, emotionally exclaiming: “All I want to do is save the children, not destroy them. More than anything I love children. More than anything.” It then fades into the interview scene with the uncle, soft focus, to suggest a flashback. Both these openings elicit an anachronistic or nostalgic feel, and with The Innocents, this sensation is strengthened by the black and white cinematography. The cameraman, Freddie Francis, used a special filter which darkened the edges of the frame similar to the ‘vignette’ effect. This had practical uses for characters walking of screen but it also gave the impression that...

Words: 2028 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Why Might the Supernatural Be Part of Everyday Life? Why Did the Church Encourage These Views?

...all these facilities to them, the church kept great control. Part of the reason the church maintained such good control is through fear. The fear of the less educated people in the town kept the church popular and very wealthy. The church encouraged any fear or gossip throughout the towns of the supernatural. The Supernatural was part of everyday life during the Tudor period, as the church had a major role in people’s lives and they would let rumours and gossip circulate in the towns as a method of control. Supernatural happenings were very common in this time because they claimed finding lost possessions, recovery from sickness and resumption of egg-laying from hens to be a saintly intervention. These were all proclaimed as miracles and this was a very regular occurrence. The church let these rumours and gossip stay in circulation because it mixed ‘supernatural happenings’ and religious beliefs together. This kept everyone under control, the church rich whilst still confirming people’s belief of what the church taught. Delving further into my last point, the less educated people and normal townspeople could not distinguish very well between religious rituals/beliefs and supernatural/superstition because of gossip and fear throughout the town. The church kept a well-maintained authority all over England without the people even realizing. This is because the people only knew...

Words: 619 - Pages: 3