The horrific tales told by novels such as “Psycho” and modern day films such as “Silence of the Lambs” were not constructed entirely from the depths of the imagination. Within the gruesome stories lie an unsettling amount of truth and harbor an even darker story. This story is not one concocted in the basements of Hollywood or in the lofty apartment of a writer; instead this story was created in Plainfield, Wisconsin, and it began on, August 27, 1906. The case of Edward Theodore Gein was one that the nation was not prepared for, and even more so, in the rural town of Plainfield. Mr. Gein would leave his legacy to affect the world, long after his own time. In today’s times, nearly 65 years later, traces of Gein can still be found to be an influence …show more content…
Henry was lost through a brushfire that had burned dangerously close to the farm. Ed claimed that while fighting the fire, Ed had lost sight of his brother. When local authorities came to investigate, police were shocked when Gein was able to lead officials straight to where Henry had laid. Inconsistencies arose during the investigation, for example, Henry’s body had lain in an area that was unscathed by the flames and the back of his head had several contusions. By May 17, 1944, Ed’s mother is all Ed had left, but the “Ed and Augusta” duo would be a short lived one. A series of strokes claimed the life of Augusta Gein and the only world that Ed had ever known. In a matter of 5 meager years, Ed had lost all of his family; he was left all alone in the world. After his mother’s death, Gein continued to reside in the farmhouse, he boarded up all the rooms that she had frequented, in an attempt to enshrine the memory of her. Though Ed did well in school, he was “… socially and emotionally retarded”. This being said, he was unable to obtain a normal job (2). Instead, he supported himself with the meager earnings he had made doing the odd jobs he had taken up. While Augusta was still alive, she had kept Ed in a bubble, away from practically everything and everyone. Now that Augusta had died, Ed was left free to …show more content…
Police had reason to believe that an arsonist was to be blamed, though a thorough investigation was conducted, no suspect was found. When news of the destruction had reached Gein, he simply had said, "Just as well" (7). Gein would spend ten years in the mental institution before the courts decided that Gein was competent to withstand trial. The outcome of the trial found Gein guilty of first degree murder, but because he was found to be insane during his escapades, Gein was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Soon, after being acquitted, Gein was taken back to Central State Hospital for the criminally insane. It was here, at the mental institution, where "...he spent his days happily and comfortably" (8). Ed behaved strangely, strange meaning that he was completely docile and amiable. Aside from the, "disconcerting way he would stare fixedly at nurses or any other female staff members...", he acted quite friendly. Gein would happily live here, until the age of 78, after cancer finally claimed him. Gein's final resting place was right next to his mother's in Plainfield Cemetery. Which, ironically, was not too far from the graves he had defiled in the earlier
Eddie, died. Henry, the father's youngest son, has sort of, became the man of family. Henry works
Boyer, Paul S. The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. D.C. Heath and Company, Mass. © 1990
I have chosen to write my Case Study paper on Edward Gein from the Psychodynamic theoretical perspective. I believe that his behavior is a perfect case for the psychodynamic perspective because of the family dynamic in his home. These circumstances led to the actions that would become the inspiration for many books and movie characters because of the oddity and extreme nature of his human interactions.
Have you ever had that one bone chilling moments when you feel like someone is there, but no one is? Or when you are home alone and you are positive you heard someone or something. When you turn around when you hear something and all it is a long dark hallway. In this paper you will read about some of the scariest places in America. Imagine walking alone in one of those buildings and hearing a noise or seeing someone or something, but you know you are all alone. Or are you? Norwich state hospital, the Lizzie Borden house, the Stanley hotel, the White House, and the oak alley plantation are some of the buildings where rapes, beatings, death, starving’s, ax murders, and slaves were.
Vronsky, Peter. Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters. New York: Berkley, 2004. Print.
The mind is a very powerful tool when it is exploited to think about situations out of the ordinary. Describing in vivid detail the conditions of one after his, her, or its death associates the mind to a world that is filled with horrific elements of a dark nature.
Parker, Sam. Horror Through The Decades. Bauer Consumer Media, 2009. Web. 1 Oct. 2013. .
Frankenstein is the story of an eccentric scientist whose masterful creation, a monster composed of sown together appendages of dead bodies, escapes and is now loose in the country. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s diction enhances fear-provoking imagery in order to induce apprehension and suspense on the reader. Throughout this horrifying account, the reader is almost ‘told’ how to feel – generally a feeling of uneasiness or fright. The author’s diction makes the images throughout the story more vivid and dramatic, so dramatic that it can almost make you shudder.
Creeping around the shadowy house, the predator found its prey waking to strange sounds. The victim lay facedown, with a sweating forehead pressed fearfully into the pillow, silently praying the noises would just go away. Suddenly the victim found himself straddled and pinned to the bed. He was unable to scream for help due to the pressure of the handle of a pick-axe against his throat, preventing any breath from escaping, much less any sound. The victim struggled beneath the weight of the assailant. The scant light from the sodium-arc street light outside cast a peculiar silhouette on the walls of the darkened room, projecting an image that looked oddly like that of a cowboy saddled upon a bucking bull at a rodeo. Struggling to dismount the attacker, the victim felt the piercing blows of the sharp point of the pickaxe, succumbing to death only after receiving eleven stab wounds to the chest and throat. The thrill of the kill was stimulating enough that, when interviewed later, the murderer reported “popping a nut,” that is, becoming so sexually aroused by the event, to the point of having an orgasm (Pearson, 1998).
In the world of cinema, there’s almost always a discussion regarding what scenes would be suitable for the grasping imagination of any audience, young or old. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, Psycho, sparked a plug for the movie industry as it was the first movie of its kind to display such graphic scenes of sex and violence to a worldwide audience.
The most frightening horror story can only be called such if it is believable. Nothing is so unnerving as lying awake at night with very real fears. No monster can harm you, unless the monster was genetically engineered by a mad scientist. The theme of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - scientific investigation without consideration of morality and responsibility - is a very relevant topic in today's world. This theme, along with the less obvious themes of revenge, prejudice against deviation from the norm, and fate all make Frankenstein one of the most unique and terrifying horror novels ever.
Tragedy shows no discrimination and often strikes down on those undeserving of such turmoil. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a creature more repulsive than one can imagine is brought to life by a young scientist. Although this creature is horrifying in sight, he is gentle by nature. Unfortunately, the softer side of the creature is repeatedly overlooked and the so called “monster” is driven to a breaking point. Even though the Creature committed many crimes, Mary Shelley’s Creature was the tragic hero of this story because of his efforts rescue the life of a young girl and helping destitute cottagers.
The Tell Tale Heart, written by Edgar Allan Poe, and Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock were both formidable, revolutionary and horrifying creations to the audience’s of their times and to some extent, still are today. Hitchcock drew audiences in into his work by utilizing certain camera angles, mise-en-scene and diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. However, Edgar Allan Poe used a variety of literary techniques such as varying sentence structure, imagery and irony to draw his readers in. While these two masterpieces are unique in terms of content, both of them explore a prominent theme, fear.
...ed from the fever, had slowly faded away, no longer to sit contentedly by the fire knitting and smiling. Jo unearthed a great emptiness in her heart and life after her sister's death. Meg and John, and Amy and Laurie were happily married. Though Jo had resolved never to marry, still she felt an awful loneliness as she wondered what direction her life should take. While struggling with these feelings, a tutor entered her life, Professor Bhaer. He was an older, German gentleman, filled with a gentle love. People turned to him because of the compassion he so freely gave, akin to Beth's spirit. This love healed Jo. They married and opened a "school for lads, a good, happy homelike school." Jo looked after the boys while the professor taught them in the large, Plumfield home, willed to Jo by her aunt.
Smith, Michelle K. “Nightmares: The Geography of Fictional Horror.” Pg. 71. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.