America seems to have always been
captivated by the occult. We tend to be very curious about the unknown. A
classic example of this infatuation is exemplified in Young Goodman Brown.
There are plenty of modern examples of our interest in dark, supernatural
forces, such as the movie, Paranormal Activity -which I personally find to be
way too terrifying-. Does this make Americans sick, twisted, satanic people? Or
do we just want to escape reality in an attempt to entertain ourselves with
fear?
There are various ways that we can
indulge ourselves with this form of entertainment. We can read books, such as Twilight,
watch movies like Paranormal Activity, or even keep up with dark TV shows, such
as American Horror Story. This suggests that Americans enjoy the adrenaline
rush of watching ghosts and demons rattle pans in an ordinary family’s kitchen,
and are eager to imagine what they would do in a zombie apocalypse.
In Hawthorne’s short story, Young
Goodman Brown, the main character goes on a late night journey into the woods
with the devil. He was bewildered by the sight of all of his devil-worshipping
peers, who he thought were good, righteous Puritans. This popular piece shows
that there has always been interest in the occult. This explains why even today
some Americans go on haunted tours and around Halloween, haunted houses are a
popular destination for many.
Authors and producers keep providing
society with this type of entertainment because they know how to manipulate us.
They take what Americans are afraid of, and emphasize it. Maybe this is how
some people face their fears, or maybe going to a thriller with a group of
friends is a great way to experience an emotional catharsis. Americans as a
whole are drawn to dark, intangible mysteries. We always have been, and we
probably always will be.
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