Monsters tend to represent, in artistic depictions, the hates and fears of the artists. Analyzing them can be a great way to get to know the artist better, and to understand the symbolism that a pice of art might carry. A famous example is Salvador Dali. Dali had an irrational fear of grasshoppers. When analyzing his paintings, it becomes clear that the presence of grasshoppers is enormous and dominating, often shown as terrifying monsters. In his work, they symbolize destruction and fear.
