Part 43

Discover the lore behind the books found in the Centennial Building in Silent Hill: Downpour, including 'Classical Civilizations' and 'Literary Masters'.

Books Found:

• 'Classical Civilizations': Discusses ancient Roman divination practices, including the Augur (who examined bird behavior) and the haruspex (who examined animal entrails, particularly livers, after sacrifice). It mentions Titus Vestricius Spurinna warning Julius Caesar.
• 'Literary Masters - Eastern Europe': Features an analysis by scholar Paul Scheible on Franz Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis', suggesting Gregor's insect transformation was self-inflicted to escape society, creating a prison of discarded objects. It also references Kafka's 'In der Strafkolonie' ('In the Penal Colony'), detailing a horrific execution device that carves crimes into a victim's flesh over twelve hours, and the executioner's desire to swap places with a condemned prisoner.
• 'Sociology v.5 - Evolution of the Penal System': Explores the historical use of prisons, noting that prior to the 19th century, they were mainly for detaining suspects or those awaiting execution, with others sent to workhouses, slavery, or penal colonies. It questions the modern concept of rehabilitation due to high re-arrest rates. The text also describes the use of prison ships ('prison hulks') in Britain during the Regency and Victorian periods, initially for transport to penal colonies like Australia and Tasmania, and later as stationary prisons packed with inmates.
• 'Entomology VOL. 3': Focuses on the Apis Mellifera (Honey Bee), highlighting their societal structure, communication, and the construction of 'prisons' within the hive to detain pests like hive beetles, often resulting in a death penalty via lethal injection. It also notes that solitary honey bees are generally docile but their stinger, used in a fatal attack, injects 1 mg of venom.