The Night of Exception

Understanding Halloween through Schmitt’s Political Thought

Abstract

This article plumbs the meaning of the Halloween tradition through the writing of the political philosopher Carl Schmitt. Schmitt’s unsettling theory emphasizes both the need to confront the ‘exception,’ when traditional rules and expectations about our social and political relations give way, and the importance of identifying ourselves through opposition, especially by constructing an enemy or foe who is at once alien but essential to our individual and national self-understanding. After developing an account of the enduring relevance of Schmitt’s political thought for comprehending the nature and appeal of the Halloween tradition, the essay applies this framework to a cinematic case study, interpreting John Carpenter’s 1978 film Halloween.