she is in control .
Cherry Dicko
The sacrificial aspect of the story is inspired by Gary Hoppenstand , who described Candyman as “ a god born from folklore legend , a god who accepts sacrifices of blood and candy , a god emblematic of the contemporary urban experience ” 1 . In the Forbidden , part of Helen and the Candyman ’ s followers ’ motivation involves the desire to relinquish control and devote themselves to a folkloric God , and I tried to reflect this in my story through the actions of Anna and George ; they ultimately enjoy their vulnerability and powerlessness to Candice . or unknown otherness ” 2 . Anna ’ s desire towards Candice is something she finds uncomfortable and shameful . Candice also represents Anna ’ s desire for power and attention , particularly attention from men .
I chose the setting of St James ’ s Churchyard because I wanted to centre the theme of death and memory in relation to place in the Forbidden . I wanted to set up degrees of bodily control ; Anna is acutely aware of the bodies underfoot , their lack of sense or autonomy . Anna and George also ultimately lack bodily autonomy .
Bibliography :
I wanted to explore the relationship between Helen and Candyman in the Forbidden , and the possibility that Candyman represents unconscious or uncomfortable desires . I was inspired by Paul Wells , who noted that “ Barker ’ s bodies are concerned with perspectives outside social orthodoxy , and “ horror ” comes out of the fear of a perverse yet partially-desired experience of a marginalised
Hoppenstand , Gary , Clive Barker ’ s Short Stories : Imagination as Metaphor in The Books Of Blood and Other Works ( London : McFarland & Company inc ., 1994 ), pp . 91-92
Ochonicky , Adam , “‘ Something to be haunted by ’: Adaptive monsters and regional mythologies in ‘ The Forbidden ’ and Candyman ”, Horror Studies 11.1 ( 2020 ), pp . 101-122
80