El Chupacabra: Legend or Beast
Latin American storytelling of the mythological Chupacabra, whose alleged sightings relate to those of aliens and vampires, regulate children’s behavior by implanting a fear of the unknown. Since 1995, stories about a strange, blood-sucking, goat-eating dog-like monster appear in many scholarly articles, journals, and books causing mass hysteria. With several misconceptions, witnesses believe the Chupacabra preyed on and mutilated goats and other farm animals. Articles, journals, books, and people’s stories have often compared and described the Chupacabra as a vampire from outer space. Without proper research and knowledge, people draw conclusions of such creatures, but in time came to find such misconceptions to be false and integrate the creatures into story telling. Through DNA testing, carcasses of so-called Chupacabras result in identification of the creatures as wolves and coyotes infected with a disease called mange, and they prey on farm animals because of hunger and desperation. Throughout Latin cultures, adults pass on stories about monsters and the unknown, and they use these stories as a way to create discipline and obedience in children by embedding fear in them. The elaborate study of the Chupacabra has given a new view and methods of understanding through studies and research to the areas of history and folklore, particularly in Puerto Rico and Mexico, to present day. Furthermore, in order to make sense of the Chupacabra situation, my paper presents logic and scientific reason to analyze Latin mythological stories.
First, I will give a brief description of the history of the Chupacabra. Then, I will evaluate, analyze and describe how misleading reports and news; such as given by Lalo Lopez, Marc Davenport and Joyce Murphy, induces misconceptions in the public. Then, I will illustrate the Chupacabra’s true identity according to authors from the National Geographic magazine and The Journal of Law and Religion in opposition to other ideas of what the
First, I will give a brief description of the history of the Chupacabra. Then, I will evaluate, analyze and describe how misleading reports and news; such as given by Lalo Lopez, Marc Davenport and Joyce Murphy, induces misconceptions in the public. Then, I will illustrate the Chupacabra’s true identity according to authors from the National Geographic magazine and The Journal of Law and Religion in opposition to other ideas of what the
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