When Professor Velasco introduced the definition of freakshow in today's lecture, it reminded me the freakshow scene from the 2004 movie, The Phantom of the Opera. It's a flashback memory of Madame Giry, a mid-aged choreographer of the opera house. As Madame Giry recalls her trip to a carnival freakshow when she was a young girl, we perceive the distress childhood experience of the "phantom". The phantom was born with a deformed face and is deserted by his mother. He is named "the devil's child" in the freakshow to attract people's interest to see him. He is caged and his head is covered to disguise his appearance. The crowds are screaming and laughing when they saw his face. The scene is pretty ironic because although the crowds (except Madame Giry) is despise and make fun of the young phantom, the audiences may feel sympathetic about him.
The phantom has nothing wrong with his deformed appearance while people judge him as a monster simply because he looks different from the norm. It's so cruel for an innocent young child to be displayed on the freakshow with people pointing and cursing on him. Even though he is not a born a monster, he gradually turns to a monster of hatred because of his dark experience. As we can see in the scene, he feels ashamed when people stares at him (even when his face is covered) as he lowers his head. Although he seems tame, he accumulates his hostility and eventually he strangles the man for revenge.
Unlike Jennifer Miller who is willing to display her "difference" in the freakshow, the Phantom is displayed by force and the horrible experience distorts his personality and indirectly leads him to become a mad murderer in the last part of the movie.
Here is a link of the movie and the freakshow scene begins at 15'30''.
http://tieba.baidu.com/相对论/shipin/play/716638184cf690464c45b46f/
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