Project Description
We all know serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Coldhearted killers who needed the lives of several innocent people. Incapable of showing remorse, empathy or guilt for their actions. Is evil like that born? or is it created? The purpose of this project is to find the answer to this question. I believe no one is born evil it is shaped it is shaped into a person from the way they were raised. The theory of serial killers is that they are actually survivors of their own childhood trauma. Trauma's that have affected their adult life and their mental health. A lot of these serial killers had mental disordered that were left untreated and that worsened with the trauma they experienced. It is important to keep in mind that not all kids who experience trauma become killers and not all killers have experienced trauma. But the connection between childhood trauma in serial killers is too strong to ignore. In my project my goal is to show the perspective of a serial killer and possibly the reasons for why many of them became killers. Those reasons being mental illness and childhood trauma. I also show the perspective of a different kind of killer. A dictator responsible for gruesome actions against his people. Finally the perspective of one of those people who suffered under the hand of his rule. Here is behind the eyes of a serial killer.
Through their eyes
For my English portion of my project I focused on the perspective of 3 serial killers. Richard Ramirez, Ted Bundy and the Menendez brothers were all serial killers who either experienced childhood trauma, mental illness or both. These were some of the most infamous killers in history and everyone views them as cold hearted killers with no remorse for what they did. Which is true but there is reason behind that. In my project I explained each of their childhood backgrounds and they were pretty disturbing. Their stories included sexual, physical , and mental abuse. Not only that but trauma's of their own that shaped the way of who they grew up to be. I then go on to explain how trauma then leads to PTSD that can psychologically change the way the brain works. I explain who PTSD changes the brain and how it differs from a person without PTSD. I also include the brain changes of someone suffering from schizophrenia which is a very common mental illness in serial killers. The infographic explains who schizophrenia changes the functions of the brain and the thinking of a person suffering from it. I chose PTSD and schizophrenia because both are very important factors of understanding serial killers. Mental disorders and childhood trauma is the theme for many serial killers. This is behind the eyes of a serial killer.
I am Kim Jong Un
For my history portion of my project I created an article from the perspective of a different kind of serial killer. A dictator who holds public executions, takes away his peoples basic freedom and keeps anyone from leaving the country. He is cruel and abusive to his people keeping them from being able to leave past the borders of North Korea. I researched many articles and watched many interviews on this person to figure out his perspective and why he does what he does. But I found that he is not one to give any explanation for his actions. He is just carrying on his families legacy of repression. To be able to write from his perspective I had to look deeper. I researched his views on America and how he goes about addressing that to the world. I also looked at how things are done in North Korea relating to the leaders and dictators before him. His family legacy is a big part of why he rules harshly. It has been the way his family has ruled before him and he wants to continue that. He sees any disobedience as a crime against him which he does not take lightly.Everyone in North Korea is to respect him. Anything and everything that is against the rules is seen as disrespect. The cost many times is your life. Here is behind the eyes of Kim Jong Un.
I am a North Korean Defector
For the art perspective portion of my project I decided to create a video from the perspective of a North Korean defector. In this video I talk about what it is like to escape or at least attempt to escape North Korea . Since I covered the perspective of North Korean leader ,Kim Jong Un ,I thought it would be fit to include the perspective of a defector as well. In the video I speak from the perspective of a defector explaining the price of getting caught and the huge risks of escaping. For visuals I added real pictures of the North Korean prison camps, labor camps and the conditions of the people. I added my own captions and a real clip of a successfully escaped North Korean defector who was on the news. To be able to create this I looked at many stories from other defectors of North Korea. Many of them where soldiers. But others were just people who wanted to take back their life away from Kim Jong Un. Here is a look into the life of a North Korean defector.