Beliefs and Ideologies Represented Within Popular Genres  

Popular genres represent aspects of cultural values, beliefs and ideologies by both affirming and subverting the views presented to us by society. For instance, fantasy, as a genre, allows the observer to escape from constraints burdened upon them by society. Some genres, such as the family domestic, affirm with the 'norms' of culture by showing the observer ideological opinions such as the patriarchy and structured nuclear family models. These popular genres can emphasize and challenge the norms of society depending on the opinions and beliefs of the creators and writers of the work.

The novel Blood, by Joseph Glass, is an example of a popular genre that can both affirm and subvert the norms of society. The novel allows the reader to view a behind-the-scenes aspect of police work. This view in the novel confirms to the reader a social belief that the police force is put in place to help protect the community and to reinforce the governing rules set out by society. By giving the chance to see what the conditions are like for police to go about their work, the reader is being shown how the police fight to protect the citizens under their care. This attitude tries to make the reader understand the dangers they face each day to do their job.

Blood also delves into the complex topic that concerns serial killings. Society, in general, has stated that these killers can seem to be 'normal', but very precise and ritualistic in their actions. Blood conforms to this traditional belief by creating the character Kenneth Tower. Tower is given a 'normal' profession as a doctor and uses the ritualistic behaviour of pouring blood into his victims' wounds to act in accordance with the familiarity of a serial killer. This behaviour also conforms to the beliefs held by society involving the ideas surrounding serial killers.

Due to the influence culture and society bestow upon the reader, Kenneth Tower is regarded as a monster and dangerous killer and is thought upon with disgust and distain. It is the readers' curiosity that makes them rebel against cultural ideologies about serial killers and believe them to be interesting characters to read about in fiction. Because society has ordained that these people should be treated with disgust not much is known to the public about serial killers or their motives. It is this lack of knowledge that makes the reader want to become more familiar with the working of a serial killer.

Another issue that the novel Blood deals with is the topic of whether a convicted murderer has the right to live. In the novel the character Susan Shader addresses after the death of a murderer, Calvin Wesley Train, who had attempted to kill her, "[She thought] Of dead people who should not be dead, and living people who should not have been alive." This statement deals with the feelings that the seemingly innocent victims of murder should never have been in the position of having their lives cut short because those that slaughtered these people should never have been able to become killers.

Society holds two separate views on the subject of crime and punishment; one side believes that these killers need to be punished for the crimes that they have committed (in some cultures these offenders are put to death themselves). The other side of the argument states that even though the murderer needs to be punished, he still has the right to life and does not deserve to die himself.

The novel Back From The Dead, by Chris Petit, also deals with the topic that involves life and death. Because many cultural ideas about death and life exist, it is hard to disagree or agree with what happens after death, though it is generally accepted by many religious domination that after the body dies the soul goes elsewhere to the after-life. Back From The Dead challenges this belief by having a character, Leah, who apparently comes back to life after dying under mysterious circumstances fifteen years earlier.

The novel presents many different avenues to the issue of life and death by offering reasons as to how and why she has returned from death. Although the novel does not go into the particular details surrounding Leah's return, the story follows the reactions of those who surrounded her death.

The characters clash with a local police officer that they involved to find out who was sending the letters under the assumed name of Leah, before they found out that is was really her. The officer involved begins to enquire about the circumstances surrounding Leah's death but hits a dead-end, as no one involved is willing to speak in detail about her death.

It is not until the officer pushes for information that he finds out that the girls' death involves witchcraft. Witchcraft in its own right has, in the past, been looked down upon by society. This involvement allows for many questioning enquires to be considered to the case. Although witchcraft played no part in her death, it plays a major role in the beliefs of Catholic and many beliefs of religious practices. This clash of faith can be seen through the eyes of the police officer heading the case, who does not 'believe' in such things as witchcraft as it is considered evil and from the devil.

Through the novel Back From The Dead the issue of life and death is addressed in an unusual manner that also challenges the normal presentation of a novel. The motives of the characters involved make it hard to draw a concrete conclusion to the involvement of Leah's death and resurrection, though it is assumed that witchraft played apart of her resurrection. Although a conclusion is never made as to why or how these events have occurred, by using this formula the author, Chris Petit, can raise the topic of whether or not an occurrence like the one presented within the book could actually occur in reality. Cultural beliefs state that this highly unlikely, but through the hazed arguments within the book, it leaves the possibility that anything can happen.

The novel The World On Blood, by Jonathan Nasaw, is relatively different to that of Blood and Back From The Dead. Throughout the entire novel the story tends to challenge the authority of cultural beliefs and the morality that society tries to uphold. By using a complicated subject matter such as addiction and twisting the viewpoint to that of the addicts, the reader is able to see an unusual opinion to that would otherwise be unavailable to the reader.

It does not matter that this story follows the story of a group of vampires because these vampiric characters do not follow the same characteristics that they are normally involved with. If the blood that they drink were to be substituted to a drug like cocaine or amphetamines the novel would still send out the principle idea that is faced with by many addicts. Society gives the view that all addiction is bad, so that when a person becomes addicted, they become criminals in the eyes of the law enforcement agencies.

By reading this book, the impression that not all addicts feel that what they are doing is wrong or harmful to them. It gives the impression that if what they do does not harm anyone else then it should be okay for them to do as they like. This notion of thinking is a form of challenging the authority held by society, by challenging the main ideals held by society the reader is able to see a view that is generally unable to be viewed by people who are not addicts themselves.

It has been seen that popular genres can both affirm and subvert ideas held in belief by society. These statements found within popular genres help shape the view of the world held in the trust of its readers. Without the challenging views that are embedded within the popular genres that are viewed or read, the stories trying to be told would be unable to hold the interest of the reader.

The world and its occupants do not always hold true to the idealistic standards set upon them through cultural and social beliefs. If popular genres did not confirm and challenge these views upheld by society then people would no longer be interested in the views set within them. People read and view programs and novels that bring challenging new ideas to them. These perceptions shape our personal views, beliefs and ideologies of culture and society.

References:

Glass, Joseph. 2000. Blood. Macmillan Publishers, London.
Nasaw, Jonathan. 1996. The World On Blood. Dutton Books, New York.

About the Author

Chyna Dolores is an author on http://www.Writing.Com which is a site for Creative Writing. You can view her personal work at http://www.chyna_doll.writing.com