From songs to movies, television and literature, cannibalism has been a prominent theme in popular culture within the last few years.  The artistic normalisation of what is plausibly considered one of the most taboo acts imaginable invites an investigation into the various meanings behind the artistic, thematic portrayal of cannibalism, and why we are drawn to it as a society.  

In addressing this, one of the most obvious interpretations of cannibalistic themes in media is exploitation. After all, the act of a human eating the flesh of another is inherently exploitative.  Within this metaphor, cannibalism is used to confront human cruelty – with cannibalism often being the result of desperation that occurs due to abuse. Media that falls within this category often critiques capitalism and consumerism, casting light on societal decay. For example, the sci-fi movie Soylent Green (1973) which targets late-stage capitalism, or Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (2017) that places cannibalism as an alternative to meat eating in response to meat scarcity. Both examples use cannibalism to illustrate how economic survivalism and systemic abuses create a landscape of desperation where humanity consequently consumes itself.  

In other works, cannibalism is used to intertwine themes of desire and obsession to reveal the consuming nature of human relationships and ultimately, love. Namely Hannibal (2013-15), Bones and All (2022), and Ethel Cain’s 2022 debut album, Preacher’s Daughter. In Hannibal, as FBI profiler Will Graham becomes entangled in a complex relationship with cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lector, cannibalism becomes intrinsic to the corruption arc of Graham and the relationship between the two, illustrating how desire can spiral into obsession. Similarly, throughout Bones and All, two outsiders fall in love over their shared cannibalistic urges, and although an attempt is made at integration into society, their flesh-eating is depicted as an act of love for two outsiders, with Timothee Chalamet’s character begging Taylor Russell’s to eat him, ‘bones and all’, as he dies. Within these previous two examples, cannibalism and cannibalistic urges represent complex acts of desire and emotional cravings that may transgress between outsiders, through connections that challenge societal expectations and moral boundaries. Ethel Cain’s story- driven concept album, Preacher’s Daughter, however, takes a darker turn on the idea of flesh-eating as obsession, with the titular character being murdered and eaten by her lover. As described by Ethel Cain herself, although the cannibalism in the album is non consensual and violent, it represents wanting someone so close that ‘you have to literally devour them’.  

Finally, the last meaning behind the motif of cannibalism is it appearing as a symbol of female rage and retaliation. Portrayals of cannibalism within this category depict flesh-eating as a rejection of male-dominated society and subversion of traditional power dynamics. In A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers (2020), the main character refuses to be passively ‘consumed’ by men in relationships and retaliates by consuming them first. Meanwhile, in the cult classic Jennifer’s Body (2009), Jennifer is intended as a virgin sacrifice but transforms into a demon who targets the flesh of men as a form of vengeance. In this film, Jennifer’s transformation into a cannibal is a direct retaliation to a loss of agency caused by male exploitation, and similarly to Summers’ book, turns to using her sexuality to express her rage.  

By examining the artistic portrayal of cannibalism through various lenses, insight is gained into how it can serve to highlight disturbing truths about obsessive love, exploitation, or explore female resistance. As such, cannibalism as a cinematic, literary theme can invite the viewer to confront truths about power, obsession and human connection.