Soul Murder

Many people assert that BOB is the representation of the evil that lurks inside of everyone; I argue that BOB is a symbol of a more specific kind of evil, incest or childhood sexual molestation. Many characters in the series commit crimes and participate in immoral acts, but BOB does not possess them while they engage in their sinister activities. Ben Horne is perhaps the most corrupt citizen of Twin Peaks; he is aware of his actions and has no remorse for his numerous sins. Ben has his hands in nearly every criminal activity in Twin Peaks, but we never see Ben under BOB’s control. Other particularly nefarious characters include Leo Johnson, Jacques Renault, and Hank Jennings. All these men are low life scum, their lives a series of one malevolent deed after another. However, BOB is not involved in any of these characters’ crimes.

BOB is only shown to possess Leland Palmer, Laura Palmer, and Agent Cooper. Laura had been sexually abused by her father, and as a boy, Leland was molested by his grandfather’s neighbor, BOB. Was Agent Cooper also molested as a child? In his essay, “Introduction: Twin Peaks’ Interpretive Community,” David Lavery discusses the book The Autobiography of F.B.I Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My tapes. Lavery observes that the book provides a great deal of backstory on Agent Cooper. Lavery goes on to recount a quote from the book about a vision Copper had as a child: “man who I have never seen…trying to break into my room. He kept calling my name and said that he wanted me.” Copper’s vision has similarities to what Laura experienced with BOB. BOB had entered Laura’s room through a window every night for five years to molest her, and BOB had told her “he wanted to be her.” Not only did BOB want to sexually possess Laura he also wanted to possess her soul. In the book Treating the Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, by Jody Messler Davies, Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea, and Mary Gail Frawley, the authors discuss psychoanalyst Leonard Shengold. Shengold used the phrase “soul murder” to describe the psychological damage of repeated sexual abuse in childhood. Shengold maintains, that using fantasies of a sadomasochistic nature, victims attempt to distance themselves from their traumatic memories. It doesn’t matter if BOB is an external demon gaining control of his victims, or a sick fantasy in the victim’s mind, he is the representation of the "soul murdering" aspect of childhood molestation .

Treating the Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse http://books.google.com/books?id=Mxn-Xro7m1MC

Full of Secrets
http://books.google.com/books?id=m6mjuWXrqb8C

Lela C.