'Myself is fabricated, an aberration'

The serial killer as a product of mass culture in Bret Easton Ellis´ 'American Psycho'

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book 'Myself is fabricated, an aberration' by Reinhard Goebels, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Reinhard Goebels ISBN: 9783638018012
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: March 5, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Reinhard Goebels
ISBN: 9783638018012
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: March 5, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Mannheim, course: Neorealism, 9 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This paper deals with the novel American Psycho by the American author Bret Easton Ellis and his place amongst other writers of the 'blank generation'. The term 'blank generation fiction' will be defined by citing those literary critics who extensively examined this trend, namely Elizabeth Young, Graham Caveney and James Annesley. Based on their work it will be shown how violence in blank generation fiction has not to be taken literally but can adopt symbolic meaning. Furthermore we shall see in an anlysis of American Psycho how this symbolic meaning develops in this novel in direct relation to the vast consumerism and the hyperreal quality of life in the 1980s. It will be closely examined how the seemingly unmotivated murderous behaviour of the novel´s main protagonist can be interpreted as a direct, logical, if exaggerated result of mass culture and the principles of the free market. Finally it will be examined how Ellis integrates chapters written in the style of music journalism into his novel to stress both the fragmentation of the main protagonist´s mind by the media and the perversity of the consumer who can easily switch from witnessing an act of extreme violence to unworriedly reflecting on something like music, another mass cultural phenomenon.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Mannheim, course: Neorealism, 9 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This paper deals with the novel American Psycho by the American author Bret Easton Ellis and his place amongst other writers of the 'blank generation'. The term 'blank generation fiction' will be defined by citing those literary critics who extensively examined this trend, namely Elizabeth Young, Graham Caveney and James Annesley. Based on their work it will be shown how violence in blank generation fiction has not to be taken literally but can adopt symbolic meaning. Furthermore we shall see in an anlysis of American Psycho how this symbolic meaning develops in this novel in direct relation to the vast consumerism and the hyperreal quality of life in the 1980s. It will be closely examined how the seemingly unmotivated murderous behaviour of the novel´s main protagonist can be interpreted as a direct, logical, if exaggerated result of mass culture and the principles of the free market. Finally it will be examined how Ellis integrates chapters written in the style of music journalism into his novel to stress both the fragmentation of the main protagonist´s mind by the media and the perversity of the consumer who can easily switch from witnessing an act of extreme violence to unworriedly reflecting on something like music, another mass cultural phenomenon.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Die Iden des März- Hintergründe und Täter by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Der gemeinnützige Kulturbetrieb. Die gGmbH als Alternative zum gemeinnützigen Kulturverein by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Modelllernen und Medienwirkungen auf aggressives Verhalten by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Work Life Balance unter dem Aspekt instabiler Beschäftigungen by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Die Konstruktion der Wirklichkeit durch die Massenmedien by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Das Herstellen einer Pressverbindung an Rohrleitungen by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Widerspiegelung der Misogynie in der Erzählung 'Luischen' von Thomas Mann by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Gott gegen Darwin by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Entwicklung einer Simulationsplattform für Demand Side Management Systeme by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Der Kreuzfahrtenmarkt by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Der Internationale Vergleich in der Sozialen Arbeit - Worin liegt der Nutzen und wo liegen Schwierigkeiten bzw. Gefahren? by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Unmut in der Wissenschaft by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Competence Oriented Teaching. From Form and Function to Intercultural Communicative Competence by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Beispiel der normativ-praktischen Pädagogikkonzeption J. M. Langevelds by Reinhard Goebels
Cover of the book Vibration - Grundlagen und Anwendungsgebiete eines neuen Trainingsmittels unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Krafttrainings by Reinhard Goebels
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy