What Makes Stalking Monsters so Monstrous, and how to Survive Them?

What are monsters? Among other things, monsters are un/supernatural creatures that stalk us. They stalk us in our imaginations when we are alone in the dark; they stalk us in our dreams. Stalking is something that monsters do. So much so that it is sometimes considered “monstrous” when performed by human beings. Perhaps stalking can serve as a prism to get insight into monstrosity. To better understand monsters through stalking, we must define what stalking is. Technically speaking, it is a pattern of conduct that consists of following another and lying in wait for him or her. A hunter stalks his prey. But this definition is surely both too wide and too narrow. A toddler following her father around the house, never letting him out of her sight and lying in wait for him when he steps outside would not be considered stalking him. An estranged husband phoning his estranged wife at all times and hanging up without saying a word might be considered stalking her, even if he never follows her about or lies in wait for her.