The Thing About Jack

He is a subject we all grew up knowing. Who knows how or when we first heard of him? It's like he has always been there, like we are born with a sense of him. The knowledge of fact and fiction differs from person to person as well as what he may symbolize. He is a real figure that once existed and just the same, a fantastic villain from a thousand childhood fairy tales. Whatever anyone may think of him or know of him, one thing is true for everyone, the name of Jack the Ripper triggers a sense of fear and death.

Growing up, Jack the Ripper was the iconic boogie man for me. He was the one following me home at night when I was walking alone. Jack made the bumps in the night when I watched that horror film before going to sleep. He was the one I feared would grab my ankles from under the bed if I attempted to make an escape to my parents' room. He lived in the laundry room that faced the entrance/exit of my room and he waited there for me. Jack was every monster in the world to me. He was fear personified.

I created my own idea of Jack of the Ripper. I knew he once existed, but the facts were never investigated. I knew he was a murderer and given credit as the first serial killer. I had no clue as to when he lived, but I knew he was long since dead so it didn't matter. I was sure that justice had prevailed and Jack got what he deserved.

About 10 years ago I was at home flipping through the channels on the TV. I came across a special about Jack the Ripper. As I watched the program I was more and more astounded at what I was learning about Jack. What I thought was so complicated was turning out to be so simple. The monster I had created in mind was becoming human. And being human, Jack's crimes became all the more disturbing.

Of course he wasn't the first serial killer, but his murders brought forth social change like no others at the time or before. Jack's victims were the poorest of the poor and he truly did rip them. He was killing his victims practically under the noses of the police. He had the city of London in his grip for several months and even garnered the attention of the Queen. Then, at what seemed to be the height of his spree, Jack vanished. He was never caught. No one was even ever charged. He got away with it all. And with that, he became an iconic figure.

That's the thing about Jack. He was a real person that became a fictionalized icon. His gruesome murders demanded attention that became, over time, too fantastic to be real. Jack is now a legend. He will continue to be discussed for another 120 years. His crimes will continue to be investigated and debated. I don't believe this was Jack's goal, but I think he would be smirking to know he's still here today in 2008.
s