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Sydney Eldon

Barbara Barklow

Monsters and Misfits

20 March 2017

Psychology of Grief in Horror

Grief is defined as a human feeling experienced after suffering a traumatic loss of something or

someone well cared for. Monsters and misfits are the mirror image reflecting the human feeling

of loss, grief, fear and horror. The imagery used in Hollywood films, ancient legends, religious

superstitions and literature regarding monsters and misfits is a clear representation of the true

human feelings and fears. The monsters and misfits that exist is easier to understand, believe in

and be sympathetic to rather than to believe in our own emotions that we fear to become true.

There have been multiple studies in the undertaking of how the brain communicates with

grief. What causes it, how we cope and methodize with the feeling. There was a case study

performed on emergency department nurses involving PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). In

this study, it is shown that ER nurses experience grief, loss and PTSD while just simply doing

their job. This emotional exchange is just one example of countless similar interactions that ED

registered nurses (RNs) around the world are exposed to on a daily basis. Repeated emotionally

taxing traumatic experiences cause nurses to be at a higher risk for developing posttraumatic

stress disorder (PTSD). ED RNs are especially vulnerable to PTSD because of consistently high

levels of stress and trauma in the workplace. It is important to acknowledge that it is the

individuals perception that identifies an event as traumatic (Hood, 2011) (Schwab 250). This

particular study focuses on how the individual mind decides to experience each confrontation
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between nurse and patient. Whether it be a patient suffering from extensive and severe injuries

that lead to death or brain death or a child with a ruptured appendix. It all boils down to the cold

truth of how we chose to react and cope with certain traumatic events each individual

experiences.

In the successful South Australian film The Babadook, there is a similar, underlying,

psychological message of grief and bereavement. The film is about a woman (Amelia) and her

son (Samuel) and their life together. Her husband and the father of Samuel was killed while

driving Amelia to the hospital on the night she went into labor. This was a traumatic event that

eventually cause Amelia to begin to blame and hate Samuel and hold him responsible for her

husbands death. This clearly caused her to feel infinite grief and sorrow, with this, her grief

eventually turns into a monster from one of Samuels bedtime stories, that possesses her and

Samuel. This movie flirts with the idea that grief becomes destructive if not recognized. The

book contains a guide how it should be read complete, as i say, with warnings about the dangers

of repeating words aloud. The words will conjure up Master Babadook himself, after which the

reader may come to wish they were dead. It is no spoiler alert to say that the words are then

spoken out loud, that malevolent things are let in, and death becomes a probability (T. Ingham

270). However, The Babadook is not a mediocre jumps out and kills you monster that you see

in most horror films. He is evidently, the mirror reflection of her grief. He is solely a living

breathing interpretation of the grief and sadness she feels from losing her husband. Amelias

feelings were so overwhelming that she began to blame Samuel for his death. They could not

celebrate Samuels birthday either because her feelings were too intense to comprehend. With

that, overtime she controls the Babadook. Meaning that she has controlled her grief. Eventually
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The Babadook takes his home in Amelias basement. She feeds him and most importantly, she

acknowledges him. If we are going to escape the grief and horror of death, however traumatic,

we have to find a way to work through it. Instead of defensively and compulsively repeatedly

expelling and projecting the unwanted psychological experience of death away, if we are to find

a way to live, we have to let something of the hell bereavement in. And in this case what fights to

be let in is rich in horrific fantasy (T. Ingham 270).

Furthermore, there was a study done on the staff for an elder home and their work with

complex loss and grief. This study deal with the social aspects of grief and loss in the work of a

care facility. At the start of the three year data collection period the care staff were also

experiencing organisational loss in the form of ward closure. Following the change in policy

direction towards providing continuing care in peoples own homes and in care homes the

National Health Service (NHS) continuing care provision in hospitals was reduced. This left one

ward in the study, which will be referred to as Willow ward to protect the identities of those who

took part. Residents on Willow ward were in the end stages of chronic illnesses like stroke and

dementia and only came to the ward if their needs were so profound that they could not be met in

the community or a care home (Holeman 316). In conclusion of this study it was found that

staff members felt an extreme complex level of stress and grief while working in essentially, a

place where elder people come to die. Death and loss is a common factor when it comes to

long-term care facilities and nursing homes. In every situation of loss and death comes grief. It

often becomes evident that some people just cannot simply comprehend the endearing effects of

these emotions.
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In conclusion, the human brain can very often be deficient in the complex comprehension

of grief, fear and loss. It can commonly appear that people fear the emotions of grief and loss

because they cannot accept the traumatic experience they suffered. Humans have the choice to

believe in the monsters and misfits of ancient legends, Hollywood movies, literature and

religious superstistions because it might just be easier to believe in them, than to understand our

emotions as humans. The idea of sympathizing the reality with monsters and misfits rather than

to comprehend and let our emotions be real and exist.