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ENC 1102
Class 510
12/5/21
Horns
The movie Horns based on the novel released in 2010 by Joe Hill, is
captivating yet disturbing, sending the viewer into the world of Ig Parrish, a
man who is wrongfully punished for the rape and murder of his girlfriend by
those closest to him. Causing one to examine their views on what can be
defined as good or evil, while questioning the true thoughts and feelings of
those closest to them. This movie is the embodiment of the human
condition touching on the topics of death, morality, and one’s true
desires whether obscured or openly conveyed, further enhanced by the
use of biblical allusion to immerse the viewers' understanding of the
events at hand, making this movie a classic.
Ig Parrish, a 26-year-old man constantly reliving the day his girlfriend
Merrin Williams was found murdered alone in the woods. Scrutinized and
alienated by those around him created a sense of dread and despair within
him, unaware a blessing in disguise was in the works. After casting aside God
due to the events that claimed Merrin’s life and desecrating the memorial set
up at the scene of the crime that taunted him, resulting in what can only be
defined as a night filled with sin, he was later gifted the power of knowledge in
the form of horns. The horns had a strange power causing anyone he talked to,
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to reveal their deepest darkest secrets and desires that nobody would dare say
aloud. Able to relive these events from their perspective with a single touch,
and the ability to influence those around him, he went on the hunt with this
newfound power to find out who the real killer was and avenge his one true
love.
The death of a loved one creates a profound psychological effect on one’s
mind that can bring out the best and the worst in people, resulting in changes
to an individual’s behaviors. Mixing anger, loneliness, and guilt can cause one
to become disorganized and dissociated through the process of
intellectualization, unable to function as they once did while becoming
obsessed to define the events that occurred (Psychological Responses To Loss).
The loss of Merrin caused Ig to derail from the life he once had, now only fueled
by his anger towards God for turning a blind eye on her cries for help and the
guilt of abandoning her at the diner, caused him to succumb to the desires of
vengeance and retribution, as stated in Exodus 21:12 “anyone who assaults
and kills another person must be put to death” (Holy Bible 63). With a fire lit
within him and his beliefs in God tarnished he was reborn as the devil within.
The theme of death is not only to describe the physical death of the body
but, one’s beliefs and spirit within. Ig’s spiritual death allowed him to become
free of judgment and was granted the power of knowledge but cursed to walk
the Earth as a beast. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7, it describes the beast as a “man
of lawlessness…the one who brings destruction”, who will only be revealed
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when his time comes and what is blocking him is no longer in the way (Holy
Bible 967). It can be said the person blocking Ig from transforming, was himself
as he only saw the good inside the world and the people within it, never
considering the wicked and ugliness that tainted it (Hill 315). Until he was
exposed to the harsh reality that the wicked lived among him in plain sight and
that putting your faith in God could be the means to one’s end resulting in the
moral dilemma of what to do next.
Morality in this movie can be defined as the philosophical thought
process of consequentialism, that individuals are required to perform an act
that will lead to the best overall result (Kagan xi). Meaning that any sacrifices
made are in the interest of the greater good and certain acts are not seen as
morally unjust if they lead to the best consequences overall (xii). In the interest
of the movie, this can be seen as Ig’s influence over others, causing them to
confess about situations that can lead to self-incrimination, regarding the
information about the murder or personal situations that would affect anyone
involved. Ig’s stance on the information given to him is to allow these
individuals to divulge in their desires unless it meant further harm, specifically
death, unto others. This also can be seen when he convinces his friend and
lover Glena to drain her bank account and leave town, to protect her from Lee
who murdered and raped Merrin, who could do the same to her (Hill 322-325).
Ig’s overall goal is to not only seek vengeance on Lee but to protect
everyone else from his morbid thoughts and actions. By putting himself in
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situations that allow him to get close to Lee which could result in bodily harm
to Ig or others, to justify the actions he takes against Lee. This can be seen at
the end of the novel Horns when Ig lured Lee out into the foundry by mimicking
Glena’s voice, when Lee arrived, he brought along Eric a former friend of Ig’s,
who attempted to shoot him causing Ig to shove a pitchfork into his shoulder
while trying to talk Eric out of doing anything rash because Ig didn’t want to
kill him, and this matter was only between him and Lee (Hill 326, 337-339).
Consequently, causing Lee to shoot him, but was able to aim the gun away
from him which unfortunately went off killing Eric (341). This allowed Ig to use
his horns to impale Lee which hadn’t killed him but, resulted in one of the
many snakes in the area to act, forcefully going down Lee’s throat killing him
once and for all (344-345). Making Ig not solely responsible for Lee’s death,
which could have been avoided if Lee didn’t confuse his desires as needs.
The theme of one’s desires is the main reasoning for the events that take
place within this movie, explicitly the desire of wanting someone sexually that
an individual cannot have. Desires by nature are what makes one human, to
have passions and wants that can either fulfill or destroy us, is the epitome of
the human existence (Sheldrake ix, xi). Lee’s desire to be with Merrin destroyed
many individuals' lives such as Ig and Merrin’s family because he was
consumed by the thoughts he had of her, which ultimately led to him being
rejected. This rejection caused a ripple effect within him, to him Merrin was
leaving Ig so they could be together not looking at the finer details of their
relationship, which was filled with love and support but not the kind of a
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romantic partner. He wasn’t satisfied with the relationship he had with Merrin
and wanted something more, causing him to suffer from a hunger and thirst
that couldn’t be satisfied (xi). The feeling of envy toward Ig and the lust he felt
for Merrin, is consistent with the theological teaching of the seven deadly sins.
The main literary device used in this movie is biblical allusion, which
enhances one’s perception of the theology behind the events that took place
(Martashvili 31). Such as referencing the teachings of the seven deadly sins;
lust, envy, and wrath. Lust is referencing Glena’s and Ig’s relationship which
was purely sexual and not formed out of love, including the feelings Lee had for
Merrin (Hill 9, 248). Envy and wrath are concerning Lee’s feelings about Ig’s
and Merrin’s relationship which resulted in an uncontrollable rage causing her
death. Including, the consistent use of biblical entities such as God, Christ,
and the devil alludes to the debate of what is considered good and evil
regarding the perspective of Christian theology used in context with the events
and actions caused by each character in the movie (Martashvili 31). The main
biblical allusion used was the horns that grew out of Ig’s head after he
desecrated the memorial filled with items tied to the Christian faith, and
renouncing God in the process. (Hill 5).
Ig’s choice to turn away from the God he once asked for guidance and
ultimately become the devil. highlights the thoughts and feelings of individuals
who have been affected by unjust and cruel actions placed upon them by
others. Resulting in broken faith and a negative outlook on the world around
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them, creating a connection with viewers who can share a similar story. Able to
pull together the thoughts and emotions, consistent with what can be defined
as the human experience regarding the cruelties of life and hidden truths that
lie in plain sight, tying in the themes of death, love, and faith which many
people can relate to throughout the world (Lombardi). Allowing this movie to
survive the true test of time as a relevant piece that illustrates the effects of life,
and the cycles individuals must go through as they grow older is what makes
this movie a classic.
Horns is the classic embodiment of the human condition, both
captivating yet disturbing, touching on the topics of death, morality, and one’s
desires enhanced by the use of biblical allusions to immerse the viewers’
understanding of the events that unfolded before them. Creating an inner
dialogue of how their views on good and evil cannot be easily defined and
questions the intentions of those around them, as one steps into the shoes of Ig
Parrish.
Word Count: 1582
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Works Cited
Hill, Joe. Horns. William Morrow, 2010.
Holy Bible. Teen Slimline Bible NLT: 1 Corinthians 13 ed., Tyndale House
Publishers, 2012.
Kagan, Shelly. The limits of morality. Clarendon Press, 1989.
Lombardi, Esther. “What Makes Classic Literature Classic?” ThoughtCo,
ThoughtCo, 23 Oct. 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/concept-ofclassics-in-literature-739770.
“Psychological Responses To Loss.” National Caregivers Library,
www.caregiverslibrary.org/Caregivers-Resources/GRP-End-of-LifeIssues/HSGRP-Grief-and-Loss/Psychological-Responses-To-Loss-Article.