Academic literature on the topic 'American psycho'

This paper analyzes Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho (1991), and more specifically, the protagonist-narrator Patrick Bateman. He is analyzed through the theoretical framework known as narratology, and more specifically, the designation of “unreliable narrator,” in order to analyze the interplay between the character and the postmodernist society of which he is a product. This paper also uses the critical approach of close reading as a method. Close reading will be used in order to analyze Bateman and his narration. This essay will argue that in American Psycho, the protagonist-narrator Bateman’s loss of control over reality is described as arising because of how postmodern society works to fit people into a mould and remove individuality. Bateman displays the excesses of the 1980s, and he conforms to the expectations of postmodern society, which emphasizes consumerism and trends but no substance. He lives in a postmodern society that highlights materialism, consumerism, and reality versus hyperreality. He tries to find his identity, away from superficiality and wealth, but fails. He takes out his frustration on people who are in a lower social class than him, and he murders and tortures his victims as a result. Bateman does not only live like someone out of a magazine, but he also copies serial killers, but: he has no real identity or even original method of murder. Bateman takes on an identity as a serial killer and imitates their crimes. He finds himself torn between the postmodern reality and the reality he creates in his mind.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico<br>Patrick Bateman, o protagonista narrador do romance American Psycho (1991), de Bret Easton Ellis, confunde por ser rico, bonito e educado e, ao mesmo tempo, torturador, assassino e canibal. Mas esta personalidade antagônica não o torna singular. O que o particulariza são as quatro faces que ele apresenta ao longo de sua narrativa: (1) ele consome mercadorias e humanos, (2) compete para ter reconhecimento, (3) provoca horror por suas ações, e (4) não é um narrador confiável. Sendo um yuppie (termo popular usado nos Estados Unidos na década de 1980 para denominar jovens e bem sucedidos profissionais urbanos), Bateman é materialista e hedonista. Ele está imerso em uma sociedade de consumo, fato que o impossibilita de perceber diferenças entre produtos e pessoas. Sendo um narcisista, ele se torna um competidor em busca de admiração. No entanto, Bateman também é um serial killer e suas descrições detalhadas de torturas e assassinatos horrorizam. Por fim, nós leitores duvidamos de sua narrativa ao notarmos inconsistências e ambiguidades. Zygmunt Bauman (2009) afirma que uma sociedade extremamente capitalista transforma tudo que nela existe em algo consumível. Christopher Lasch (1991) afirma que o lendário Narciso deu lugar a um novo, controverso, dependente e menos confiante. A maioria das vítimas de Bateman são membros de grupos socialmente marginalizados, como mendigos, homossexuais, imigrantes e prostitutas, o que o torna uma identidade predatória, segundo Arjun Appadurai (2006). A voz autodiegética e a narrativa incongruente do protagonista, contudo, impedem que confiemos em suas palavras. Estas são as quatro faces que pretendo apresentar deste serial killer<br>The autodiegetic protagonist Patrick Bateman, in Bret Easton Elliss American Psycho (1991), is a troubling character, for he is highly-educated, wealthy and handsome as well as a torturer, a killer and a cannibal. This antagonistic behavior, nonetheless, does not make him a singular character. The four sides he presents throughout the novel are singular, though: (1) he consumes humans and commodities equally; (2) he competes for recognition and admiration; (3) his acts are horrific; and (4) his narration is unreliable. As a yuppie (a popular term from the 1980s used to define young urban U.S. professionals), Bateman is materialistic and hedonistic. As he lives off the excesses of a consumer society, he is incapable of distinguishing people from products. As a self-absorbed, narcissistic protagonist, he becomes a competitor struggling to get approval from his peers. Nevertheless, Bateman is a serial killer, and his detailed descriptions of tortures and murders are horrifying. Finally, we readers cannot rely on his narrative once we notice ambiguities and divergences. Zygmunt Bauman (2009) posits that an extremely capitalist society forces people to be commodified. Christopher Lasch (1991) asseverates that the old legendary Narcissus gave birth to a new one, paradoxical, dependent and less confident. Most of Batemans victims are socially-marginalized characters, members of minority groups, such as homeless people, homosexuals, immigrants, and prostitutes. As a matter of fact, Bateman may be regarded as having a predatory identity, as defined by Arjun Appadurai (2006). However, this autodiegetic narrator, together with his inconsistent narrative, cannot be entirely trusted. These are the points I want to debate regarding this fourfold serial killer

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Communication and Culture and American Studies, 2005.<br>Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-11, Section: A, page: 3842. Adviser: Joan C. Hawkins. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 10, 2006).

This essay investigates how Bret Easton Ellis portrays Patrick Bateman as a projection of American society, in order to criticize consumerism and capitalism in his novel American Psycho. By applying Marxist theory, this essay examines Bateman's consumption patterns and class-consciousness using key Marxist terms. This essay investigates the relationship between Bateman and his commodities, through the Marxist concept of value. Furthermore, this essay suggests that Bateman's consumption pattern creates his identity and that Bateman's lust for consumption has no boundaries. Bateman quenches his thirst for consumption by consuming humans of low status on the social hierarchy, by acts of violence, rape or cannibalism.

Initially, this paper traces masculinity in America from the nineteenth century and up through the mid twentieth century in order to define traditional masculinity and identify some of its characteristics. Traditional masculinity, typically demonstrated though aggressive and violent behavior, is currently undergoing cultural and social revisions due to various contemporary ideas. In analyzing American Psycho and Fight Club, two controversial novels written in the past twenty years, the paper makes clear that the protagonists acutely feel the tension that exists between historical perceptions of masculinity and current ideas of what men should be. They react to that tension by exhibiting behavior that is characterized as protest masculinity or ultramasculinity. The problems of waning masculinity, however, are symptomatic of the larger problems posed by a postmodern era as a result of high capitalism. Postmodernism is explored, as are its origins and contexts, through the work of Frederic Jameson and Francis Fukuyama, and its ideas are applied to the characters from both novels. Though Patrick Bateman, the protagonist in American Psycho, is unaware that he lives during the postmodern timeframe, he nevertheless manifests his anxiety to it primarily through acts of violence against women and other assertions of what he believes is traditional masculinity. The narrator of Fight Club and his alter ego Tyler Durden are more aware of the stultifying nature of rampant capitalism than Patrick Bateman; their reactions to corporate capitalism and postmodernism are manifested through violence and eventually efforts at revolution aimed at one of the financial centers of America. The nature of postmodernism as a stultifying and anti-individualistic perception becomes clear through an analysis of each protagonist's job and daily life. It is clear that the postmodern era is socially and psychically disturbing to men, as evidenced by the dual nature of each protagonist's personality and their apparent lack of unifying identities. Patrick Bateman and the narrator in Fight Club create, whether consciously or unconsciously, alter egos that allow them to exhibit their respective masculinities in a culture that no longer accepts such behavior. That both characters manifest extreme versions of masculinity is particularly important to note, and indicative of a primal need to be traditionally manly. Contemporary society attempts to repress the behavior that stems from that need, and even attempts to erase the need to be masculine as well. Neither character experiences any catharsis because of his actions. Patrick Bateman learns nothing about himself, nor does he feel any remorse for the murders he committed throughout the novel. Tyler Durden is dead at the end of Fight Club, and though the narrator lives on, he is confined in an insane asylum, which to him is perhaps preferable to the outside world.

Background: Disparities in care for seriously ill African American (AA) elders exist because of gaps in knowledge regarding culturally sensitive physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual needs and preferences. Conceptual Framework: The foundation of culturally sensitive patient-centered PC is formed from social, spiritual, psychological and physical experiences of serious illness. Purpose: Aim 1 was to describe categories and patterns of psych-social-spiritual healing from the perspective of AA elders with serious illness. Aim 2 was to examine the NIH Clinical Center's psych-social-spiritual healing measure as a valid, culturally appropriate measure for this population. Methods: A purposive sample of 28 AA elders with serious illnesses and from the Jackson MS area participated in this study. Aim One used the qualitative method of narrative analysis. Aim Two used cognitive interviewing methodology, including verbal probing and think aloud techniques. Findings: Aim One: Prior experiences, I changed, and Across past, present experiences and future expectations were the three main of the thematic analysis. The thematic categories in prior experiences were: been through it...made me strong, I thought about…others, and went down little hills...got me down. The thematic categories in I changed were: I grew stronger, changed priorities, do things I never would have done, and quit doing. The thematic categories in Across past, present experiences and future expectations were: God did and will take care of me, close-knit relationships, and life is better. The most prevalent theme of God did and will take care of me was divided into subthemes of: God did, God will and developing faith. Aim Two: Of the fifty-three items on the Psychological-Social-Spiritual Healing instrument, thirty-seven items were retained, eight items revised, and eight items deleted. Conclusions: Aim one: The narratives were stories of remarkable strength. This strength was grounded in the participants' "faith" in God that helped the aging seriously ill AA elder "overcome things." Aim Two: Linguistic validity was enhanced with expert input from the seriously ill AA elders. Pragmatic validity, using both the research team and participants' input, improved the content validity. These findings provide evidence towards a more valid and culturally sensitive tool.