Artistic / fictional depictions of guilt / remorse

by **sprock** » Mon Feb 09, 2015 3:43 pm

Sometimes I find that looking at artistic or fictional depictions of guilt and remorse can help give me a little distance from my own emotions and allow me to consider them more objectively / philosophically. Also, there is some comfort in knowing that you're never alone, even if you feel that you deserve to be.

Anyway, I really like this comic by Junji Ito in which those with a criminal conscience become literally frozen in place. It's a good metaphor for how guilt stops someone from moving forwards and how, if someone has a conscience, even if they escape punishment, they'll always find a way to punish themselves. It's called 'The Earthbound' and it should have a *trigger warning* for mention of rape and murder and other crimes, though nothing explicit is depicted. It is unsettling though, but very clever IMO.

http://openawesome.com/junji-ito-horror-manga/theearthbound/2.html

Also, I think maybe everyone will find something to take away from it, as those who are remorseful will relate to the characters of the earthbound, while those who have only been harmed by others, but never harmed themselves, will be able to relate to the central protagonist and maybe take some comfort or pleasure from the justice that exists within the story.

That's a very powerful story and imagery.

It reminded me of the video for Radiohead's Just, although I can't be certain of the intended meaning behind the song and video...

http://youtu.be/-_qMagfZtv8

Everything the man lying on the pavement says suggests he has done something terrible that he can't reveal to anyone. However, the ending implies something much larger than personal guilt.

Even so, the song's lyrics could be interpreted as dealing with self punishment from guilt...

"Can't get the stink off. He's been hanging round for days" - guilt (he - the guilty self) is like a bad smell that can't be scrubbed away.

"Don't get my sympathy. Hanging out the 15th floor" - guilt is saying that suicidal thoughts will not change anything.

"You've changed the locks three times. He still comes reeling through the door" - the relentlessness of guilt. You can't lock it out of your mind. It always finds a way in.

"One day I'll get you. And teach you how to get to purest hell" - guilt will take you to (psychological) hell.

"You do it to yourself, you do. And that's what really hurts" - your own punishment hurts more than anything anyone else could give you.

I'm not sure if Radiohead intended the song to be about guilt, but it does seem to fit.

by **MentalBoy13579** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:04 pm

Sometimes mental punishment is greater than anything else, but the good thing is that forgiveness from a victim makes you free

by **sprock** » Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:53 pm

MentalBoy13579 wrote:Sometimes mental punishment is greater than anything else, but the good thing is that forgiveness from a victim makes you free

I think that's a really nice idea. Personally, I find that even though I have forgiveness from my individual victim (in as much as she has said that I no longer 'owe' her anything, she wants me to move on, legal action had not occurred to her, and that I was taking the matter 'way, way, waaaaaaaay' too serious' I obsess over the forgiveness of society and get caught up in the fact that while some people would (or have) forgiven me, many others would not.

That said, I absolutely agree that the individual victim is most important and I will admit that when I received the email saying the above, I felt literally lighter and happier than I had felt in several years.

It certainly gladdens the heart to know that someone you care/ cared above is okay and not destroyed or traumatised. In some cases, life does indeed go on.

---

I'm glad you found the Ito story and imagery powerful, Epiphany. I'd never thought of 'Just' in that way before, but your reading certainly makes sense... it definitely fits with the self-destructive aspects of pathological guilt or even suicidal ideation... though perhaps the lyrics seem cruel through such a reading. That said, this is the same band who brought us 'Karma Police'!

---

As for other depictions, I've been reading Crime and Punishment, but so far the protagonist seems more scared of being caught that actually consumed with guilt, but I think that might change.

Edgar Allen Poe is similar in that it is hard to know whether his characters are consumed with guilt and remorse... or, rather, it's as though these feelings come from outside themselves - as though even though they don't consciously feel guilty, at the level of the subconscious they are driven to expose themselves or confess their crimes, like in 'The Telltale Heart' or 'The Black Cat'.

by **MentalBoy13579** » Fri Mar 06, 2015 3:17 am

sprock wrote:
MentalBoy13579 wrote:Sometimes mental punishment is greater than anything else, but the good thing is that forgiveness from a victim makes you free

I think that's a really nice idea. Personally, I find that even though I have forgiveness from my individual victim (in as much as she has said that I no longer 'owe' her anything, she wants me to move on, legal action had not occurred to her, and that I was taking the matter 'way, way, waaaaaaaay' too serious' I obsess over the forgiveness of society and get caught up in the fact that while some people would (or have) forgiven me, many others would not.

That said, I absolutely agree that the individual victim is most important and I will admit that when I received the email saying the above, I felt literally lighter and happier than I had felt in several years. It certainly gladdens the heart to know that someone you care/ cared above is okay and not destroyed or traumatised. In some cases, life does indeed go on.
And if not you never know. But the victim is generally more centered and able to look at it from your perspective than you are theirs.
---

I'm glad you found the Ito story and imagery powerful, Epiphany. I'd never thought of 'Just' in that way before, but your reading certainly makes sense... it definitely fits with the self-destructive aspects of pathological guilt or even suicidal ideation... though perhaps the lyrics seem cruel through such a reading. That said, this is the same band who brought us 'Karma Police'!

---

As for other depictions, I've been reading Crime and Punishment, but so far the protagonist seems more scared of being caught that actually consumed with guilt, but I think that might change.

Edgar Allen Poe is similar in that it is hard to know whether his characters are consumed with guilt and remorse... or, rather, it's as though these feelings come from outside themselves - as though even though they don't consciously feel guilty, at the level of the subconscious they are driven to expose themselves or confess their crimes, like in 'The Telltale Heart' or 'The Black Cat'.

A victim tends to see your side. At least from my limited experience.

by **cntbelivit** » Wed May 06, 2015 7:53 am

I'm reading Crime and Punishment right now. One thing that's struck me so far: "Wasn't I alive just now? My life didn't go out with the old woman's!" Interesting how he changes his mind so much. When I finish with it I'll let you know my thoughts.

by **sprock** » Wed May 06, 2015 10:02 am

Yeah - Raskonikov is a very odd character... he has a certain gentleness about it, but also a horrible and dangerous anger and righteousness that clearly leads to violence. He certainly does change his mind very fast about things!

Artistic / fictional depictions of guilt / remorse

Artistic / fictional depictions of guilt / remorse

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