Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho

American Psycho Essay

‘’You are a fucking ugly bitch, I want to stab you to death and play around with your blood’’ .

Bret Easton Ellis wrote in 1991 the rather controversial and contentious piece of literature, American Psycho, in which the aforementioned, disturbing quote exists. The novel has, as of its astounding amount of filth, gore and incomprehensible evil, been at the core of countless controversies, where the boundaries of literature(and whether or not these exist) have been discussed. However, Bret Easton Ellis has formerly written other novels similar to American Psycho in which satire is utilized to implement bits and pieces of constructive social criticism through very well written and darkly humoured plots and characters . This is, of course, no different for American Psycho, as the novel delivers a disturbing depiction of the 1980’s society(1987) where heavy consumerism, moral decay and superficiality prosper. It is about this exact, so-called yuppie-lifestyle of materialism, narcissism, emotional detachment and extensive illicitness that the novel is written. Altogether, we must interpret it as a transgressive fiction, inasmuch as it comprises many of the characteristics such as nihilism, drug addiction and outright mutilation(yet to be read).

My analysis will primarily cover some of the conspicuous and significant quotes and how these appear to hint of Patrick’s perpetual dissatisfaction and growing misguidance in his search for acknowledgement and pleasure. It is to be hoped, this will facilitate my attempt to understand and familiarize with the mind of Patrick Bateman.

‘’Abandon all hope, ye who enters here’’ - this rather peculiar and frightening phrase is what the reader initially encounters when co...

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...e reality in which everything/everyone seems superfluous and disposable. In addition to this, Bret Easton Ellis obviously satirises the viciousness and objectification of capitalism, the concept of hyper-masculinity, consumerism and superficiality and the, at times, silly necessity of conformity.

Works Cited

http://www.planetpulp.dk/?p=20937 http://www.studieportalen.dk/Opgaver/American-Psycho-af-Bret-Easton-13220.aspx http://tech.mit.edu/V111/N18/jackso.18o.html http://www.tabula-rasa.info/BurntToast/Issue10/AmericanPsycho.html https://www.academia.edu/2118058/Discuss_American_Psycho_as_a_portrait_of_alienation_and_despair http://biblioklept.org/2011/06/14/is-american-psycho-profound-artistic-nihilism-or-stupid-shallow-nihilism-bret-easton-ellis-vs-david-foster-wallace/ http://swordofelysium.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/american-psycho-the-madness-of-materialism/