Author(s):
Lopes, Elisabete 
Date: 2013
Origin: Repositório Comum
Subject(s): Supernatural; Winchester boys; Evil creatures; Monsters; Crisis; Devil; Dystopian world
Document details
Highway to Hell: Hunting Evil Creatures with the Winchester Boys
Description
Com o apoio RAADRI. Supernatural is a contemporary TV series that is rife with gothic undertones. The main characters, the Winchester boys, do not correspond to the usual hero prototype, who generally displays some type of super power. Actually, they are two brothers who ride in their black Impala (their true home) and believe to be on a mission to save people’s lives and do away with the monsters afflicting them. The only thing they carry in the boot of the Impala is a suitcase with holy water, salt, stakes and fake IDs. Sam and Dean (the Winchester brothers) did not have an ordinary childhood: from a young age they were introduced by their father to the hunter’s lifestyle. Moreover, their mother died at the hands of some mysterious yellow-eyed demon. In fact, Supernatural shows us that monsters abound in contemporary landscape: werewolves, ghosts, vampires, witches, and demons. In truth, all of these evil creatures can be said to mirror, to a certain extent, the fears tied in with the global crisis that the world is undergoing these days. In this light, we can say that the Winchester boys have some serious challenges ahead, since Supernatural showcases this crisis as a sign of an impending apocalypse. In addition, the brothers find out that one of them is doomed to be the vessel for the devil. Given the sinister omens that Supernatural hints at, it is then important to raise some questions: What kind of hero is liable to emerge in a dystopian world? What kind of metaphors do monsters embody? What challenges must these brothers ultimately face in order to stay alive in a predatory environment? These are some of the questions that this paper aims at addressing, in keeping with the idea that the gothic still works as a mirror for our daily fears and anxieties.
Com o apoio RAADRI. Supernatural is a contemporary TV series that is rife with gothic undertones. The main characters, the Winchester boys, do not correspond to the usual hero prototype, who generally displays some type of super power. Actually, they are two brothers who ride in their black Impala (their true home) and believe to be on a mission to save people’s lives and do away with the monsters afflicting them. The only thing they carry in the boot of the Impala is a suitcase with holy water, salt, stakes and fake IDs. Sam and Dean (the Winchester brothers) did not have an ordinary childhood: from a young age they were introduced by their father to the hunter’s lifestyle. Moreover, their mother died at the hands of some mysterious yellow-eyed demon. In fact, Supernatural shows us that monsters abound in contemporary landscape: werewolves, ghosts, vampires, witches, and demons. In truth, all of these evil creatures can be said to mirror, to a certain extent, the fears tied in with the global crisis that the world is undergoing these days. In this light, we can say that the Winchester boys have some serious challenges ahead, since Supernatural showcases this crisis as a sign of an impending apocalypse. In addition, the brothers find out that one of them is doomed to be the vessel for the devil. Given the sinister omens that Supernatural hints at, it is then important to raise some questions: What kind of hero is liable to emerge in a dystopian world? What kind of metaphors do monsters embody? What challenges must these brothers ultimately face in order to stay alive in a predatory environment? These are some of the questions that this paper aims at addressing, in keeping with the idea that the gothic still works as a mirror for our daily fears and anxieties.
Document Type
Conference Object
Language English
Language English
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