The Show of Violence cover

The Show of Violence

by Fredric Wertham

In our dreams and fantasies, we are all murderers, leveling whole cities with our unconscious hates and fears. Most of us are content merely to dream. But in some, their dreams lunge out into nightmarish reality: mothers kill their own children; shy, gentle boys become mass murderers; old men lash out in violence. What is it that pushes them beyond fantasies into brutal violence? What are the mental states which lead to murder? How does the mind of the murderer differ from that of a normal person? How does society contribute to murder? Can a murderer be completely sane? These are just a few of the urgent questions which Fredric Wertham, author of *Dark Legend*, discusses in *The Show of Violence*.

More by Fredric Wertham

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?