Answer: Language is an important tool in developing a monster character in a story because it can help the author reveal hidden meanings, portray the monster’s motivations, and create subtle aspects of the monster’s character.
Explanation: Language is the way that writers communicate with their readers and create an impression of their characters. When writing about monsters, language can be used to achieve different effects, such as:
- Revealing hidden meanings: The author can use words with strong connotations to suggest something beyond the literal meaning of the word. For example, the word “monster” itself has a negative connotation that implies something evil, unnatural, or frightening. The author can also use metaphors, similes, symbols, and imagery to create associations and comparisons that reveal something about the monster’s nature, origin, or purpose. For example, in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the monster is compared to a “fiend”, a “daemon”, and a “wretch” that evoke a sense of horror and disgust.
- Portraying the monster’s motivations: The author can use words to express the monster’s thoughts, feelings, desires, and goals. This can help the reader understand why the monster acts the way it does and what it wants to achieve. For example, in Dracula by Bram Stoker, the vampire uses language to seduce his victims, manipulate his enemies, and assert his power. He also reveals his loneliness, his longing for his homeland, and his ambition to conquer the world.
- Creating subtle aspects of the monster’s character: The author can use words to show the complexity and diversity of the monster’s character. This can help the reader see the monster as more than a one-dimensional villain and appreciate its strengths and weaknesses, its virtues and flaws, its similarities and differences with humans. For example, in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the language used to describe Mr Hyde varies from being animalistic, brutal, and repulsive to being childlike, pitiful, and remorseful.
These are some of the ways that language can be an important tool in developing a monster character in a story. By using language effectively, the author can create a memorable and compelling monster that engages the reader’s imagination and emotions.
Hope this helps, and have a great day! =)