by Kevin Lustig
From time to time, animals are born with
mutations like extra
limbs, strange
deformities, or even additional heads. In ancient Rome, this
frightful event was believed to be an
omen that bad things
were on the horizon. The Romans used the word monere, which means "to warn," to give these creatures the name monstrum, or monsters. The meaning has changed since then, but "monster" remains a word to describe something
terrifying.
The concept of monsters has
evolved to include many
scary creatures,
most of which are simply literary inventions. However, monsters are more than just a way to terrify ourselves. In fact, they
play an important cultural
role. We often use them as a way to
deal with our concerns and anxieties about other real-life topics. For example, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a scientist named Dr. Frankenstein creates a
horrific creature from parts of dead bodies. The creature
escapes from the lab and roams the countryside on a killing spree. Frankenstein may seem to be just a good monster tale, but in fact, it examines serious human concerns about science. When Shelley wrote Frankenstein, the world was going through a great period of scientific discovery. This produced a lot of anxiety as scientists began to discover powerful natural forces that they didn't fully understand. In a way, Frankenstein's monster helped people focus on and confront their fears.
Many monsters, from the Big Bad Wolf in children's books to ghouls in ghost stories, help humans deal with their real fears about life and death. In this way, monsters are good for more than just a good scare. 
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