Abjection and Technology in The Ring (2002)

Abjection and Technology in The Ring (2002)

1. Main Premise

   • Abjection is not only a gendered representation in horror, in relation to the family structures but is also represented through the role of technology which acts as abjection as it threatens the boundaries of the limitless/fatefull effects of viewing films

2. Main Body (6 paragraphs)

   • Barbara Creed
     • Defendant of the abject
     • Link between Creed and Wee in their comparison of abjection to the themes explored in the slasher movies
       • Creed - page 43 'Religious categories of abjection' Carrie - pigs blood - menstruation - wrong - gendered abjection
   • Valerie Wee
     • Link to German Expressionism
     • Comparison to American slasher films and Rachael as the Final Girl
       • page 52 - Wee
       • Rachael survives
         • The film closes with slight ambiguity for viewers are left unsure if Rachael has done enough by making Aiden make a copy of the video tape
     • Samara as abject: "transgressive abjection"
       • page 58 - Wee  It is beyond logic - Wee is critical of The Ring's attempt to rectify the supernatural situation with logic and science - something in which the original Japanese film, Ringu does not attempt. As it is stated, The Ring makes more effort to show a prolonged version of the video tape and has added shots of the themes presented in the video tape in real life, so Rachael views the ladder and various other clues that go some way to making narrative sense. But in the end, Wee argues, it doesn't matter as Samara's abjection transgresses far beyond any scientific logic can explain
       • "Western terms of abjection"
         • page 58 - Wee
     • Kristeva
       • Relational theme of abjection based in religion and history
     • Key element of abjection
       • "the mother who becomes abject when the child rejects her for the father who represents the symbolic order" Page 38 In Samara's case, it is she who becomes abject for her mother rejects her. It could be interpreted that Samara rejects her mother for the dark side of which some speculation has been made as to whether Samara was bred from a demon spawn as she was adopted. So she could have rejected her pre-nature figure (mother) for the spiritual order - which in most cases in horror are deemed male.

3. Sequence Example

   • The video tape - incoherency
     • validate with example from Wee Article on lack of narrative cohesion - technology as abject

4. Paragraph 2:

   • Can briefly make comparison to Carrie, Rosemary's Baby and Regun from The Exorcist
   • Family structures - Historical portrayal in Hollywood horror films in comparison to Japanese supernatural beliefs.

5. Paragraph 3

   • Technology as symbolism for birthing
     • Christian Metz

6. Paragraph 4:

   • Abjection as positive or negative
     • Looking at the ways in which classic historical and religious teachings claim that abjection is wrong and the worst case of denial.  Creed - Page 41 - the corps as 'utterly abject' in the biblical context.  Compare this to the Japanese attitude towards supernatural abjection as neither positive or negative.  Relate to Buddhism
     • Ambiguity of abjection
       • Creed - Page 42 -  'The crucial point is that abjection is always ambiguous' Relate this to the ambiguity an lack of narrative cohesion of the video tape

7. Paragraph 5:

   • Address the role of technology as abject in the film through the crossing of boundaries with Samra and the video tape
     • Creed - Page 59 -  'the horror film puts the viewing subject's sense of a unified self into crisis specifically in those moments when the image on screen becoes too threatening or horrific to watch, when the abject threatens to draw the viewing subject to the place "where meaning collapses" the place of death'.
     • Lacan and self identity  Abjection occurs in The Ring when the powers of the video tape go beyond natural law and understanding of identity. It crosses a border and directly defies the limits of digital technology which creates a heightened sense of fear as that is the format in which the story of The Ring is being displayed on.  Sequence example -  End scene when Noah dies. the T.V mysteriously turns on and he turns it of but is nonetheless in front of the screen, a familiar position to viewers of the film. So when Samara erupts creepily from the screen, she crosses a boundary and all meaning collapses.. defying death, defying the bare amount of tangible narrative cohesion managed to be extracted from viewers after Rachael seemingly 'saves' Samara's spirit

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