The Exorcist is one of the greatest horror films of all time. It has an implicit message that is about the good and the evil. Indeed, this movie guides individuals through the eventual combat of good and evil and that of heaven and the hell. The focus is about a teenage girl named Regan, who is initially a cool, innocent, and happy little girl but turns into a pure devil after being possessed by evil spirits. At once, she begins acting in strange ways, including making frenetic noises, using vulgar language, exhibiting abnormal strength, and becoming a kleptomaniac (Blatty, 292). At times, she could shake her bed violently while making strange noises, a factor that caused her mother’s dreadfulness. Indeed, evil is real and exists within our external environments. Therefore, the motivation of this discussion is to address the concept of evil in the movie The Exorcist, personal conceptualization regarding the existence of evil, causes, and how to eliminate it, as well as to demonstrate that connection with the Trinity is the only way to eliminate evil.
Being possessed by evil spirits is a condition characterized by individuals being under the control of other external forces; for instance, a demon or other distinctive personality. In fact, demons existed since the creation of the universe. Although it might be difficult to discern the exact causes of evil, some outcomes are extreme and put individuals such as Regan in peril. This demonic precondition is a spiritual vacuum in the souls of individuals. In fact, when a person lacks the Holy Spirit in their soul, they give room for evil spirits to reside in their souls.
The movie The Exorcist proves the existence of evil, as shown in various contexts. For instance, demons can enter the individual either directly or by an intermediary. This movie offers an excellent scenario of how evil spirits possess a person through an intermediary. Regan starts acting in a strange way after playing with a friend and allegedly contacting an imaginary friend by the name Howdy. The change in Regan is another clear indication that evil is real. Not only does her voice change in various instances, but also her physical appearances, such as when her head and Father Karras rotate at 360 degrees. In fact, Regan portrays the ugliness of evil possession, a factor shown by her actions and looks.
Prayer is the only thing that can heal a possessed person (Warlick, 158). In this movie, due to the love she has for her child, Regan’s mother has tried all she can by her power to restore her child’s physical and mental health. She has tried to look for help from everywhere, but with no success. In fact, some physicians and psychiatrists advised spiritual intervention to Regan’s condition. It is worth noting that after seeking spiritual support from Father Karras and Merrin, Regan is healed and goes to her normal self.
In the case a person is demon possessed, any action and utterance are not controlled by the individual but by the inside force. Therefore, any aggression, violence or other form of criminal activity perpetrated by the possessed individual is an act of evil. Indeed, the evil depicted in this movie is pure, perpetuated by intermediary causes. The main purpose of pure evil is to destroy the appointed ones of God’s kingdom, and in our case scenario, the evil spirits in Regan have one purpose: to destroy Father Karras and Merrin.
Works Cited
Blatty, William P. The Exorcist. Harper Collins, 2011.
Warlick, Harold C. The Human Condition in Biblical Perspective: Messages on the God-Human Encounter. CSS Pub, 1998.