Violence...Is it more than just entertainment?

 

Foster's discussion of violence in chapter eleven is similar to his discussion of meals in chapter two. He emphasizes the fact that both events occur in literature for a given purpose. Violence is an intimate act between humans, as is sharing a meal with someone.

Previously, I had not considered violence to be a symbolic aspect of a story, but rather just a way for author’s to entertain and interest their readers. Violence is used to ignite certain feelings within readers, whether it’s sympathy for an innocent character, or relief for an evil character’s death. As I have seen in many movies, violence is also used to assert the agility and strength of a certain character.

On the surface, violence can seem unimportant, even accidental, but one must look deeper to truly understand the lessons an author is trying to teach us. In a well-known story called “The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas”, the death of the protagonist symbolizes the unreasonable cruelty of the Holocaust. Set during World War II, a German boy becomes friends with a Jew, and their friendship results in the death of both characters. The boy’s father, a radical Nazi, discovers his son has faced the same fate as the Jews he is mercilessly killing. This discovery causes him to see their killings with a fresh pair of eyes.

The popularity of violence is a continued debate especially with the recent controversies over gun control. The main question is: does violence in entertainment, literature, and video games make people more violent in the real world? The answer remains ambiguous, but one thing is clear: violence sells. Currently, the most popular video game franchise is “Call of Duty”, where killing is the main goal.  The adrenaline rush and power that is felt from violence is definitely a contributing factor to its popularity. I suppose it’s the feeling of power that attracts people to violent video games, a power that cannot be felt in the real world without serious consequences.

If people saw the true meaning of violence in literature, it would not be viewed as a negative affect on humanity. Most people who lack a trained literary mind see it as fascinating entertainment without a real purpose. To truly understand violence in a literary sense, we must consider violent acts as beyond the physical. Violence in literature functions at different levels, is perpetuated by different motivations, and is experienced in a variety of ways.

Violence is even portrayed in fairy tales. The first editions of stories such as “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty “ were originally targeted at a more mature audience. The stories described scenes of murder in detail, but were altered to appeal to a younger audience. The originally violent nature of children’s fairy tales is shocking to me. The modern day versions of these stories seem so innocent. The affects of violence in entertainment and literature are continually debated. Violence is a symbolic and important part of literature, but should be used in moderation. However, one cannot argue against the common need for violence in order to enhance a story.