Religious beliefs, such as an afterlife, were based on the fear that our loved ones will someday leave us alone - we
created the idea of Heaven to comfort us and assure us that we will not be alone forever. I mean, think about it - have you
ever heard of a Heaven where you show up and have the whole place to yourself?
Silent Hill feeds on that fear that you are utterly alone--alone with your thoughts and regrets. In the Book of Lost
Memory, we learn that this area was once inhabited by powerful gods and the people that lived there simply abandoned it.
Have you ever entered an old house or building and felt that an area in the room made the hair on your neck stand up?
I think that is what the people felt about the land. There was something....wrong with it, as Angela warns James.
I believe that the town is still inhabited by those gods, but it is an unstable world, torn between two demensions.
What horrific event caused the demensions to split? I don't think that Samael dwelled in Silent Hill originally. I think
that he sort of took over when the settlers did, perhaps in the 1600's or so. Seeing the land and its unstable nature pleased
him and he used the two demensions to his advantage and to manipulate followers to his will.
As we all know, there are two sides to the town - one, a normal, thriving pleasant place to live or visit. The other
side, however, is the Silent Hill we are most familiar with. When someone is "chosen" by the gods or spirits, they enter the
foggy Silent Hill. The spirits want to show us the truth, no matter how horrific and sad. However, when Samael wants to torment
you, he changes the town into its dark counterpart...subjecting you to disturbing images of pain.
So....where IS everyone as you are wandering the streets? I think they're still there, but existing on a different plane
of existence. Science-Fiction writers and philosophers have theorized that we could exist on several different planes at once.
For example, Superman meeting Bizarro, himself but from a different demenstino. They are the same, yet opposites...just like
Silent Hill.
We find evidence of life all over town - personal belongings, parked cars, personal photographs in the apartments...mere
shadows that the people existed.
So, why can't we play a game where the town is filled with people? Easy! It wouldn't be as scary! In the company
of others, we are comforted. True fear comes when we might lose our loved ones or lives and end up alone again. I think that
the only way the Silent Hill series will be effective is by placing us utterly alone with our inner demons. I guess you could
call it a necessary evil...why would Silent Hill choose you...?
