Angela may not exist, self punishment theory(spoilers)
Posted: 28 Sep 2011
Recently I played Silent Hill 2 again and it made me think that Angela may not have existed in the real world similar to Maria. First I will talk about Laura and Eddie and why I think they are real. I think the biggest indicator that Laura is real is that she received a letter from Mary prior to her death. Laura being unaware of her death decides to search for her. Now with Eddie there are two things that show he is real. The big one being that Laura can see him and interact with him. The other one being that a second pyramid head is formed from James's guilt for killing Eddie.
With Angela things are different. Right off the bat when you head towards town you meet Angela and James asks her if town is ahead. Then it proceeds with this conversation.
Angela: I think you’d better stay away. This uh... this town... there’s
something... “wrong†with it. It’s kind of hard to explain, but...
James: Is it dangerous?
Angela: Maybe... And it’s not just the fog either...It’s....
James: Okay I got it. I’ll be careful.
Angela: I’m not lying.
James: No, I believe you. It’s just...I guess I really don’t care if it’s
dangerous or not. I’m going to town either way.
Here's what bugs me about this conversation. If Angela just arrived at Silent Hill looking for her mother than how could she possibly know there's something wrong with the town?
On top of this James is the only one that ever sees her, Laura, Eddie, and Maria never meet her. There's also the third time you meet her. After you've made you way through the labyrinth you enter a room and find Angela and a monster that is thought to resemble her father molesting her. But why is James seeing Angela's monster? It would seem that Eddie has his own monster/s and thinks that they are making fun of him. James never sees these monsters, all he sees are figures of unidentifiable bodies. So why would James suddenly be able to see Angela's monster? The only piece of evidence showing that Angela could have existed Is a newspaper stating her father was murdered. I find this to be flimsy as the message that Mary sent James never really existed, so its possible that the newspaper is a fabrication as well.
Now for the final conversation between Angela and James.
Angela: Mama! Mama, I was looking for you.
Angela: Now you’re the only one left. Maybe then.... Maybe then I can rest.
Angela: Mama, why are you running away?
Angela: You’re not Mama. It’s you... I, I’m sorry...
James: Angela, no....
Angela: Thank you for saving me... But I wish you hadn’t. Even Mama said it... I deserved what happened...
James: No Angela, that’s wrong!
Angela: No. Don’t pity me. I’m not worth it....
Angela: Or maybe you think you can save me? Will you love me? Take care of me? Heal all my pain?
Angela: That’s what I thought. James. Give me back that knife.
James: No... I, I won’t.
Angela: Saving it for yourself?
James: Me? No... I’d never kill myself....
It’s hot as hell in here.
Angela: You see it too? For me, it’s always like this.
The lines in bold I will talk about in my theory. I believe that Angela was created from James's mind as a symbol of self punishment or wanting to be judged. James is probably in a toss of emotions wondering if his killing of Mary is justifiable. Since the letter from Mary was revealed as fake I believe James came to silent hill for the subconscious need to be judged for what he did.
Angela was sexually abused by her father and is the ideal example of what a just murder could be as society severely looks down upon sexually abusing children. Even though her father is gone Angela still feels the pain he caused and even still feels guilty for murdering him as in the first bold line above her mother said she deserved it so she assumes complete guilt. She strongly expresses the notion of suicide, the end all solution. The line "Or maybe you think you can save me? Will you love me? Take care of me? Heal all my pain?" is resemblant of what James thought Mary wanted.
James: No, I believe you. It’s just...I guess I really don’t care if it’s dangerous or not. I’m going to town either way.
James expresses that he already knows that danger lies ahead in the town so it would make sense that Angela would know too. The reason why James could see Angela's monster is because he created the situation in his mind. If you also notice Maria and Angela can see James's monsters but Laura and Eddie cannot.The last bold lines outline the idea of suicide for James and can mark the path to the "In Water" ending.
With Angela things are different. Right off the bat when you head towards town you meet Angela and James asks her if town is ahead. Then it proceeds with this conversation.
Angela: I think you’d better stay away. This uh... this town... there’s
something... “wrong†with it. It’s kind of hard to explain, but...
James: Is it dangerous?
Angela: Maybe... And it’s not just the fog either...It’s....
James: Okay I got it. I’ll be careful.
Angela: I’m not lying.
James: No, I believe you. It’s just...I guess I really don’t care if it’s
dangerous or not. I’m going to town either way.
Here's what bugs me about this conversation. If Angela just arrived at Silent Hill looking for her mother than how could she possibly know there's something wrong with the town?
On top of this James is the only one that ever sees her, Laura, Eddie, and Maria never meet her. There's also the third time you meet her. After you've made you way through the labyrinth you enter a room and find Angela and a monster that is thought to resemble her father molesting her. But why is James seeing Angela's monster? It would seem that Eddie has his own monster/s and thinks that they are making fun of him. James never sees these monsters, all he sees are figures of unidentifiable bodies. So why would James suddenly be able to see Angela's monster? The only piece of evidence showing that Angela could have existed Is a newspaper stating her father was murdered. I find this to be flimsy as the message that Mary sent James never really existed, so its possible that the newspaper is a fabrication as well.
Now for the final conversation between Angela and James.
Angela: Mama! Mama, I was looking for you.
Angela: Now you’re the only one left. Maybe then.... Maybe then I can rest.
Angela: Mama, why are you running away?
Angela: You’re not Mama. It’s you... I, I’m sorry...
James: Angela, no....
Angela: Thank you for saving me... But I wish you hadn’t. Even Mama said it... I deserved what happened...
James: No Angela, that’s wrong!
Angela: No. Don’t pity me. I’m not worth it....
Angela: Or maybe you think you can save me? Will you love me? Take care of me? Heal all my pain?
Angela: That’s what I thought. James. Give me back that knife.
James: No... I, I won’t.
Angela: Saving it for yourself?
James: Me? No... I’d never kill myself....
It’s hot as hell in here.
Angela: You see it too? For me, it’s always like this.
The lines in bold I will talk about in my theory. I believe that Angela was created from James's mind as a symbol of self punishment or wanting to be judged. James is probably in a toss of emotions wondering if his killing of Mary is justifiable. Since the letter from Mary was revealed as fake I believe James came to silent hill for the subconscious need to be judged for what he did.
Angela was sexually abused by her father and is the ideal example of what a just murder could be as society severely looks down upon sexually abusing children. Even though her father is gone Angela still feels the pain he caused and even still feels guilty for murdering him as in the first bold line above her mother said she deserved it so she assumes complete guilt. She strongly expresses the notion of suicide, the end all solution. The line "Or maybe you think you can save me? Will you love me? Take care of me? Heal all my pain?" is resemblant of what James thought Mary wanted.
James: No, I believe you. It’s just...I guess I really don’t care if it’s dangerous or not. I’m going to town either way.
James expresses that he already knows that danger lies ahead in the town so it would make sense that Angela would know too. The reason why James could see Angela's monster is because he created the situation in his mind. If you also notice Maria and Angela can see James's monsters but Laura and Eddie cannot.The last bold lines outline the idea of suicide for James and can mark the path to the "In Water" ending.