What is it about the human condition that allows us to connect to criminals and/or victims?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a synthesis and analysis of the three articles provided in class and on Canvas: “Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Stephen King, “Why Are We Drawn to True Crime Stories” by Scott Bonn, and “This is your Brain on True Crime Stories” by Paige Smith.

Answer at least two of the following questions in your essay. Remember the answers should be in-depth discussions of the ideas using the articles for support. Remember to incorporate quotes to support your opinions. You must use at least three direct quotes in your essay. You will have two class days to complete your essay, so pace yourself, take your time, and plan out your path to success.

Why do you think that there has been a resurgence of interest in the topic of True Crimes or unsolved crimes recently? What is it about the unknown that people can’t get enough of? Can you think of an example of this phenomenon that was not mentioned in the articles?
Do you think that our brains can be shaped and changed by what we view? Do you believe our psyche is positively or negatively affected by viewing “darker” materials such as true crime or unsolved crime cases?
Do you think art (movies, books, etc) reflect reality? If so, how? Give specific examples from popular culture, movies, books, music, etc to support your opinion.
What is it about the human condition that allows us to connect to criminals and/or victims? Shows like Dexter allow the viewer to get to know a serial killer and ultimately root for him to be successful. Shows like Law and Order have us rooting for the “good guys” to catch the “bad guys” in every episode. How can we empathize with both a fictional serial killer and the cops whose job it is to catch him? Discuss and use examples from our articles, other pop culture shows, or real life cases to support your opinion.
All work must be carefully proofread and edited. This essay will be submitted as a Word Doc in this assignmecixnt by the posted due date.

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