Popular Culture References

 

 

The Octopus is a creature like no other, and you will find plenty of early stories dating back hundreds of years. Many at sea referred to the Octopus as the eight legged sea monster. They were afraid of it and stories circulated about it tipping over boats and taking humans in its arms.

According to the legends of the Hawaiian people, the Octopus is actually a type of alien. They believe that this is the last remaining type of alien that lives on Earth. The people of Hawaii have long considered seeing these animals in the water to be a symbol of good luck.
There is a history of imagining this creature as malicious due to its outward appearance, hiding its shy nature.

You will find some books about this creature. One where it is a man character though is called Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo. The Kraken is a common character from early stories too. In mythology it is the creature that is commonly called a sea monster. It is believed that this type of creature was responsible for various mishaps to those making a living on the sea. It is believed the Kraken was angry over the fish that were being taken from the sea. This sea monster is derived from the images of large Octopus.

In the Disney production of the Little Mermaid, Ursula is the mean Octopus that lives in the sea. Her body is like that of this creature but she has a human head. She is very manipulative and evil when she doesn’t get her own way. Yet in true fair tale fashion this evil villain is conquered by good.
Even though the Little Mermaid was a huge hit, many parents complained to Disney that their children found Ursula to be too evil and too mean looking. In fact, she scared many children to the point that they didn’t want to finish watching the movie. In many packed theatres parents would walk out with crying children when her scenes came on in the movie.

Octopi are commonly featured in documentaries due to their interesting anatomical and physiological features. The Incredible Suckers, The Octopuses Garden, The Ultimate Octopus Guide (Discovery) are all documentaries featuring octopi.

The octopi are the subject of both popular and scientific interest and articles about them can be found on websites like https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/octopus.htm and https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-mind-of-an-octopus/.