Ashley Rubin 

3 March, 2024

Pressman 

Midterm 

The chapter “Freak Shows and Fantasies” from “Merpeople: A Human History” by Vaughn Scribner proves that the media has always greatly influenced the public’s opinions of those different than them. This chapter tells how stories of merpeople were spread through newspapers in the 19th century, providing sightings and hoaxes, and how that compares to public opinion of marginalized groups. People based their beliefs off of what the newspapers had to say just as how the media still plays a big role in the beliefs people hold on those different from them today. 

“Freak Shows and Fantasies” focuses on the nineteenth-century Western world, specifically in Britain and America. This era was characterized by significant urbanization, economic growth, scientific advancements, technological innovations, and shifts in demographics. Such transformations contributed to a rapidly changing society, where people were increasingly interconnected and exposed to new ideas and experiences. Newspapers were gaining popularity, featuring an increasing number of stories focused on mermaid sightings. With their rising numbers, newspapers became integral to shaping the media and its effect on the public.  “This chapter’s analytical arc is largely reliant on the boom in popular press in the nineteenth-century West. By the early nineteenth century, newspapers and periodicals became the most efficient means through which to transmit information to the broadest portion of the populace” (Scribner, 127). Scribner describes here the pivotal role of the popular press in shaping public perception during this time. Media is a means of communication that can reach a large audience and take an influence on that audience. By the year 1860, the United States was giving its citizens access to over 3,000 newspapers. The Western world was not a time where everyone was accepted no matter what they looked like, believed in, or where they were from. Societal norms and prejudices often dictated who was deemed acceptable or desirable, and individuals who deviated from these norms faced marginalization and discrimination. This can be proved especially true through the increase of stories being told about mermaids and how the public perceived this based on what newspapers had been reporting.

While the argument over whether or not mermaids were real might seem far-fetched in comparison to the discrimination of marginalized groups, its role during this period proved how unaccepting the world can be. Between 1810 and 1845 mermaid sightings were being reported in the paper at least four times a year. As mentioned before, most civilians of this time were getting their news from these newspapers and these newspapers only. “Periodicals were, as one nineteenth-century writer exclaimed, ‘the owners and stars’ of heaven and Earth. Therefore, everyone from greedy hucksters to erudite academics carved out space in this popular medium, for nowhere else could they spread their message so broadly and proficiently. This makes them ideal vehicles through which to delve into Westerners’ investigations of merpeople between 1800 and 1900” (Scribner, 128). The belief of whether or not mermaids were real was high during this period. As the fascination with mermaid sightings began, many people believed that they could be real. This is because newspapers were publishing stories that favored verified mermaid sightings rather than hoaxes and mistrusting sources. The papers also emphasized stories that highlighted human interactions with merpeople along with cultural poems and songs. The choices of these papers ignited the public’s interest and acceptance of merpeople. In doing so, newspapers not only reflected societal attitudes but also played an influential role in shaping beliefs about the existence of mermaids during this era of curiosity and exploration. 

Following the year 1845 the view on mermaids and other mythical creatures began to shift. “With the humbuggery of Eades and Barnum so publicized over the past thirty years, newspapers primarily printed pieces that concentrated on the hoaxes and frauds surrounding mermaids and tritons. These articles usually employed a mocking – if not deriding – tone, and sometimes even targeted certain political groups or people” (Scribner, 128). The influence of P.T. Barnum increased the curiosity and talk about mermaids and other unique creatures. Barnum was well known for his display and fascination with unconventional people and creatures. His knack for showmanship not only entertained but also shaped popular perceptions and discussions around these subjects. When Barnum’s Feejee Mermaid was proven to be fake, the journalistic view on mermaids shifted along with the public’s opinion. This shift happened quickly and proved how much of an influence newspapers, or the media, had on those who were consuming it. People went from completely believing in the idea that merpeople could be real to immediately taking detest on that idea. This transformation showed the power of the media to shape and influence societal norms. It revealed how quickly public opinion could be swayed by journalistic narratives, highlighting the balance between belief and skepticism. The evolution of attitudes towards mermaids serves as an example of the dynamic between media, perception, and cultural discourse in shaping societal beliefs and values.

This can easily be compared to the acceptance and unacceptance of marginalized groups. When the media is highlighting positive stories of mermaids, the public has interest and acceptance. As the media started to shift its reporting, it became clear that the public no longer accepted the idea that mermaids could be real. This chapter takes place during the nineteenth-century Western world, a time when groups such as women, racial minorities, lower socioeconomic groups, and religious minorities were not accepted by the rest of the world. Similar to the beliefs about mermaids, the opinion of the majority on these groups was due to news coverage. Newspapers had the power to cover these groups in both a positive and negative light. They had the power to release coverage that was either supportive or hostile. Whichever way the papers would cover these groups is how the majority of people would think of them and in return treat them. A specific example of this during this period is the treatment and coverage of women. Due to the patriarchal attitudes of the time, newspapers had the choice to either support women’s rights or oppose them. Depending on which paper audiences were reading affected their opinions on women and their rights. If a paper was supporting women’s rights and publishing stories that painted the movement in a positive light, its readers were likely to support the marginalized group. If a paper was opposing women’s rights and talking about them in a negative light, its readers most likely did not support the group or the movement. The influence of newspapers on public opinion was high, as readers often relied on them as primary sources of information and as guides for societal norms. The framing of stories and editorials by newspapers had huge effects on how marginalized groups were perceived and treated by society as a whole. The comparison between these groups and mermaids highlights the power dynamics apparent in media representation and its impact on social attitudes and behaviors. By diving deeper into the comparison between the perception of mermaids and the treatment of marginalized groups, insight is given into the ideas and views of identity, representation, and power in nineteenth-century Western society.

The ideas presented in this chapter are significant because they are still relevant in today’s modern society. The media plays an important role in our society and has an extreme amount of power when it comes to influencing public opinion. In today’s world, the media serves as a primary source of information and a crucial platform for news, entertainment, and cultural narratives. With the large presence of digital media and social networking platforms, the reach and impact of the media have expanded, furthering its influence on public opinion and perception. Through selective reporting, editorial decisions, and the use of persuasion, the media can sway public opinion, reinforce existing beliefs, or challenge established ones. A modern-day example that can be compared to both the belief of merpeople and opinions on women’s rights in the nineteenth century is the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. The LGBTQ+ community has been fighting for years to be fully accepted and treated as equals in society. This is a group that has had a continuous struggle with acceptance and is still being impacted by the media. The media still varies in its coverage of the LGBTQ+ community, oftentimes painting the group in a negative light. Society seems to go back and forth with its acceptance of the community quite often in recent years. When the media highlights positive stories people become more accepting but the rise of social media has made it even more difficult for the group to be accepted. Social media has offered both opportunities for visibility and acceptance but has also opened up spaces for harassment, bullying, and hate speech. This can make it challenging for LGBTQ+ individuals to find acceptance and support in online spaces and can increase harmful stereotypes and misinformation, proving how much of a role the media plays in acceptance. Just as the media played a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards issues similar to this in the nineteenth century, it continues to have significant influence over the acceptance and treatment of marginalized communities like the LGBTQ+ community today.

In conclusion, the chapter “Freak Shows and Fantasies” from “Merpeople: A Human History” by Vaughn Scribner offers profound insights into the influence of the media on shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards marginalized groups both in the nineteenth-century and modern-day society. By examining the role of newspapers and their impact on the beliefs of both marginalized groups and mermaids in nineteenth-century Western society, the chapter underscores the pivotal role of media in disseminating information, framing narratives, and influencing societal norms and how that idea is still apparent today.

Works Cited

Scribner, Vaughn. Merpeople: A Human History. Reaktion Books Ltd, 2020.