| Original Message |
Astrid Drew (no login)
Posted Apr 22, 2008 11:43 PM
When discussing novels such as "American Psycho" in class, I felt surprised by the level of injury that people felt when reading the text. Though I admit it was intense, I didn't experience nearly as much anger or emotion as my fellow classmates. For my final paper, I will examine why audiences were/are outraged by extreme texts, focusing specifically on "American Psycho" and "The Elementary Particles."
I will be analyzing the texts and how they are structured tonally when describing graphic scenes, as well as how the characters approach other characters or members of their society. The nonchalant distance of Bateman's narrative when torturing his victims is, in fact, disturbing in and of itself. Bruno's obsession with young girls and his exposing himself to a student is also unsettling, if not disgusting. However it isn't only the detailed descriptions of violent or inappropriate sexual behavior that make a reader uncomfortable, but specifically the reduction of individuality in both novels. Whether it is Bateman comparing business cards and reducing his victims to nameless and sexless gobs of flesh, or Michel creating a super race of humans who pride themselves on a lack of personal identity; the disturbing aspects of these novels run much deeper than aesthetic appeal in reading material. They challenge readers to view the world in a radically different paradigm, and to question the systems and ideals--capitalistic enterprise, individual gain--that have long been held sacred.
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