The Unmaking of Monsters
Have you ever appreciated a movie that had a proper monster in it? Like it was a totally believable character, and just the right amount of creepy? Not so scary that you couldn’t watch, but enough that it made the movie really compelling?
I watched Oddity the other night, and they did a good job creating convincing monsters. While I’m not one for slasher horrors, I can appreciate it when someone conjures a proper bad guy.
My favorite thing is when, in the sequel or the spinoff, the monster turns out to be our hero: the Terminator, Elphaba, ooh – Jamie Lanister! Oh my gosh, so convincing! I see you, George Martin!
It turns out I’ve got a knack for making convincing monsters, too. I make them so believable! So dastardly! Walking right through the plot lines of my life as if they belonged there.
Which of course they do, since I put them there.
Because they couldn’t exist without me. Without my attention, without the scripts I give them, without my believing their dastardliness, they couldn’t exist.
They’re all my making.
That’s exactly what I want to remind myself when one of my monsters gets out of control …
When it seems like they’re ruining my otherwise happy life by cutting down magnificent trees on their property, or leaving their outside lights on all night that point right into my bedroom, or putting out lethal traps for the raccoon family we’ve enjoyed watching grow all year that aren’t hurting anyone. Sigh. Such monsters! They are my nemeses.
So when I am worn out by the battle or when things start to get out of hand, that’s when I remind myself – just like I did in the movie theater when the hero’s dog dies – I soothe myself by remembering this is just a movie and this is too much crying for a first date – when it’s real life I remind myself that I created this monster and I can uncreate it, too.
I can transform it the same way Gregory Maguire did with the scariest villain I ever met in my whole life: The Wicked Witch of the West. That girl terrified me. How is this a movie for kids?! She and her monkeys were traumatizing! This would have been a good episode for my young self to find. (Shoot, it’s reassuring even as an adult all these years later!)
But what Maguire did for Elphaba, I can do for any of my characters, too …
I can turn enemies into best friends. All it takes is one single plot twist, or perspective shift, or backstory reveal.
I can pull the rug out from under someone by refusing to buy in to their scariness – just pull back the curtain and we’ll see it’s no monster, just an illusion!
Or I can rewrite their script. Give them a new name. Render them powerless in battle.
It’s all mine to create. Whatever I’m willing to do with the story of my life, it all comes from me.
And when we forget that we’re conjuring the monsters in our lives, we can congratulate ourselves on creating something so convincing …
Then do it differently when we’ve had enough and come to our LOA senses.
All we need to do is change our amazing minds, because everything comes from what we imagine, what we repeatedly rehearse and practice, and what we believe.
You got any monsters due for a script change? Show George Martin and Gregory Maguire what good company they have in you.
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