The Butcher Boys Essay Example

adorned with Victorian-style portraits including those of John Singer-Sergeant and John Harper (the artists rather than the subjects), among others; these types of paintings would be more fittingly housed in older English art galleries.

The portraits depict esteemed English nobles of the past, casting disdainful glances at the loathsome intruders in their space. The Butcher Boys appear to be on trial, facing a wall adorned with the likenesses of the judges. The artwork evokes a similar judgemental atmosphere as that of Apartheid South Africa. Countless pairs of eyes fixate on the unseeing statues, creating a strong sense of accusation and condemnation. The layout and placement of the pieces greatly influences the audience's perception and understanding.

By reading this text, one may question why there are three items and why they are arranged as a trio instead of a duo or foursome. The number three holds significant meaning and references throughout history. An example of this would be the existence of three prime evils- Terror, Destruction, and Hatred. This fact becomes even more intriguing when considering the Apartheid masterminds who could have employed a distorted version of the "Three Blind Mice" nursery rhyme.

According to the tale, the mice lost their tails to the farmer's wife and suffered the unfortunate fate of losing their sight as well. Similarly, the statues, referred to as "The Three Disfigured Men," have been deprived of their speech, ears, and sight. They could be viewed as an antithesis to The Three Monkeys 2, which represent "See no evil; Hear no evil; Speak no evil." Although the statues lack genitalia, it is unclear what was removed from them. These figures are actually

distorted versions of the monkeys - while the primates cover their senses with their hands, the figures have had each sense deliberately stripped away from them.

This highlights the Monkeys' helpless state, which stands in stark contrast to the autocratic dominance embodied by the Apartheid leaders. Although they protect themselves from harm, it is paradoxical that The Butcher Boys represent evil and require no such protective measures. This presents a reversal of values where The Butcher Boys shield themselves from good instead of evil. Meanwhile, the faces surrounding them, representing the rest of the world, are disregarded as unseen, unheard, and unspoken.

This aligns neatly with the police's approach to quash any signs of rebellion or uprising among the populace. Changing the figures from sitting to standing would create a vastly different mood in the artwork. Their quiet defiance would transform into blatant defiance if they were standing. Furthermore, the stoic expression on their faces would convey noncooperation and self-assuredness if they were standing. Placing them in a standing position, towering at roughly 6ft 2", would make them a powerful and dominating presence in the room.

The interpretation of the accused as the judges in Apartheid's "bad guys" is completely reversed in The Butcher Boys. The text features numerous symbols, including figures without eyes, ears, or mouths. This represents how the controlling forces of Apartheid refused to acknowledge, listen to or communicate with anyone who opposed their doctrine or policy, similar to the statuettes' immovability. Just like these demons, human-rights atrocities were committed and they remained defiantly silent while staring at their accusers. These figures are forever condemned for the wrongs they embody.

Horns have long been associated with

representing evil, particularly in the horror genre. They are often used as a visual cue to depict demons or purely villainous characters, such as The Devil, who is commonly portrayed with horns. In The Butcher Boys, the use of animal horns further reinforces their lifelike appearance.

From a Christian perspective, the three forms of the Holy Deity (i.e. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) could be distortedly represented by the proverbial Mad Scientist who is seen searching for body parts to add to his "masterpieces".

When contemplating the ideas of demon horns and The Devil, we can't escape a profound sense of discomfort. Our sense of right and wrong, as it existed before the 1990s, is corrupted by these concepts. The statues have markings and colors that are very similar to those seen on corpses. The spines exposed along their backs and the cut-lines along their breastbones only add to this post-mortem appearance. One can easily imagine that these creatures were undergoing an autopsy when they were stolen, cast, and put on display. The ripped-open appearance gives the impression that the indifference of Apartheid has been frozen in time and molded into a "human" form, thus giving this piece a very palpable emotion.

Jane Alexander's intentional use of texture, positioning, intertextual references, and context in The Butcher Boys conveys a distinct message that is heavily impacted by any alterations to these components. Each element plays a critical role in how the artwork is interpreted, and even small changes can completely shift its intended meaning.

Employing this technique enables us to produce numerous unique texts from one source, resembling the creation of Polytext. The ability to interpret texts

in various ways (resulting in "polytexts") is crucial for contemporary human progress; without it, our world would be unexciting and simplistic.