The Numinous and "The Beans of Egypt, Maine"

          This novel was demoralizing, to say the least.  However, I found its disturbing nature intriguing.  What is it about the squalor and degeneration of the human condition that captivates many people?  The effects of the numinous are what evoked my interest.  The experience of the numinous is comprised of two main components: the mysterium tremendum and the mysterium fascinans.  The mysterium trendum is  the concept of invoking fear, and the mysterium fascinans is the ability of a subject to fascinate and compel.  Both of these concepts appeal to the human psyche.  This sort of psychological approach to drawing an audience is often employed in horror movies and science fiction.   Chuter's novel depicts a population that is so unfamiliar and shocking to her reader that it draws on the mysterium tremendum and fascinans.  Amongst the Beans there are members that are murderous, incestuous, and lustful.  In addition, many of them have addiction, which I would not categorizes with the other traits that are considered immoral and or sinful.  The fact that these traits are part of the numinous and are unfamiliar suggests that they are not normal.  The numinous allows us to reflect upon concepts of normalcy and to deconstruct them.  This is certainly apparent in reactions to writings such as the Beans.