accepted to be able to protect themselves against such crimes, because they are strong physically and mentally. This tale also implies that females often play the role of the victim while males are the perpetrator of these violent crimes. The predator male seeks and stalks its innocent female prey. If Jane was a man then the story would seem less frightening and interesting. However she is a female whose antagonist is a demented and neurotic male, thus greater fear and anxiety is created. This dominant attitude, though sexist, is a recurring theme that has existed in our society for centuries and continues to prevail till this day. The theme of violence is a popular route for most urban legends. Violence can mean the threat of one's life to the threat of one's innocence. Society dearly values life, whether due to religious or cultural influences life is sacred and precious. Thus when hearing of others life threatening stories it gets the heart racing. That could happen to me. This connection is immediate because it asks for no suspension of belief. That is, it is very possible that the tale has some truth to it and that the actions of the tale are quite believable, distinct, and real. At two in the morning when Susan got home from a party she realized that she had a midterm the morning. In getting her books she tripped in the dark because she didn't want to wake her roommate up. The next day she finds cops everywhere and discovers her roommate's bloody body where she had tripped last night and a note on the bathroom mirror that read: AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU DIDN'T TURN ON THE LIGHTS? Source: Cousin who heard it from a friend of a friend.This story sends chills to readers and listeners alike because the message at the end is surprisingly shocking and frightening. The death of the roommate is definitely a wake-up call for college students, especially those who are females and are alone. It is noticeable that this ta...
