CHILDHOOD SUBVERSIONS AND INFANTILIZATIONS OF ADULTHOOD BASED ON THE SELECTED EXAMPLES OF PERSONALITY HORROR IN LITERATURE AND FILMS

The article entitled Childhood subversions and infantilizations of adulthood in the literature and films personality horror based on selected examples is focused on “carnal horrors” revolving around the subject of serial killers and the source of their psychopathy. Taking into account the findings of the horror researchers and creators, among others Carol J. Clover, the origins of psychopathy in personality horrors are most likely to be found in the murderer’s traumatic childhood. For Clover, childhood marked by trauma should be referred to as “subversive” and can as such become an interpretative tool consciously chosen by the writer and desired by the reader. The selected personality horrors present varying versions of subversive childhood which always – as claimed by Clover – results in the process of “infantilizing” one’s adulthood. Such infantilizing manifests itself in deviations, aberrations and crimes committed by the protagonist – called here a “pop-psychopath” – that are directly related to the childhood trauma. A pop-psychopath’s infantilism induces horror and abomination as it points to its permanent rooting in the childhood experience composed of the worst deviations. It is worth mentioning that personality horror does not aspire to be a scientific study of psycho-pathology of serial killings but rather offers only a cursory treatment of psychiatry and psychology findings on the subject. It should be noted that, similarly to other genres of horror literature, the personality horror is a type of “game with fear” discussed by Roger Caillois. This is linked to the fact that it satisfies a human need to experience fear in a grotesque, gruesome and ludic manner, emphasising such justifications for a crime as are expected by the horror fans. One of such justifications is a killer’s toxic childhood and their extremely infantile attitude that is a natural effect of the experience. This is the issue I intend to focus on, interpreting the most popular literary and film texts on the subject