[Mastering the Idiom: 'I Created a Monster' and Other Ways to Express Over-Enthusiasm]-[AEE 2092: I've Created a Monster!]

All Ears English Podcast · B1 · 2023-11-08

📋 Summary

The Origin and Meaning of 'I Created a Monster'

In episode 2092 of the All Ears English podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the idiomatic expression, "I created a monster." Drawing inspiration from the character created by Mary Shelley, this phrase is used to describe a situation where you have encouraged, instructed, or introduced someone to a new activity or idea, only for them to take it to an "excessive, often unwanted degree."

As the hosts explain, the expression is not about literal monsters. Instead, it serves as a playful, often resigned way to acknowledge that you have played a role in someone’s behavior becoming "out of control." Whether it involves children, employees, or friends, the core of the idiom is the realization that your initial influence has led to an obsessive or overwhelming outcome that you now have to manage.

Practical Applications and Contexts

To help learners master the phrase, the hosts provide several relatable scenarios:

Fashion Obsession: If you teach a friend some basic fashion rules and they suddenly become consumed by the subject, you might say, "I taught Lewis some basic fashion rules, but now he's obsessed with it. I definitely created a monster."
Social Media Habits: Introducing a friend to Instagram might backfire if they become "glued to her phone making videos." The resulting frustration is perfectly captured by the phrase.
Child-Rearing: A parent might teach a child to clean up after themselves, but if the child starts throwing away things that aren't trash, the parent might joke, "I finally got Frankie to clean up after himself, but now he throws everything away. I created a monster."

While the phrase often implies a minor frustration, the hosts note that it is generally used with a "playful tone." It can even be used sarcastically to describe a positive outcome, such as a child becoming a high-achieving athlete or linguist due to early encouragement.

Expanding Your Vocabulary: Related Expressions

Beyond the title phrase, the hosts suggest two other expressions that capture similar feelings of loss of control:

"It got out of control": A direct way to describe a situation that has escalated beyond your initial intentions.
"It backfired": Used when your actions have an unintended, often negative result. As Lindsay notes, this is a common, modern way to describe when something you did "comes back to hurt you or harm you in some way."

Conclusion

These expressions are essential for "connection, not perfection" in English. They allow speakers to share stories about their lives in a way that feels natural and conversational—something that is rarely found in traditional textbooks. By incorporating "I created a monster," "it got out of control," and "it backfired," learners can add color to their conversations and better express the nuances of their daily experiences. The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to reflect on their own lives to see if there is a situation where they might have "created a monster" and to use these phrases to build stronger connections with native speakers.

🎯Key Sentences

I am feeling fantastic today.

I created a monster.

I love it when we cover these really modern expressions.

It totally backfired on you.

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📝Key Phrases

I've created a monster

take it too far

get out of control

backfire on someone

have their way

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📖 Transcript

This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2092.

I've created a monster.

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast downloaded more than 200 million times.

Are you feeling stuck with your English?

We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection.

With your American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.

Where it would be a real thing. right right but what do we but what do we mean by monster like we don't like when we say monster i mean we're gonna talk more about this um but like basically we're not talking about a real monster you know yeah it means when you've allowed super common and actually interesting expression i think in english when you've allowed some someone to kind of have their way i guess You know, for example, if you allow, well, this could be like your kids.

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