Bateman represents the typical image of a high society american, a greedy, selfish and vicious person that will exploit people when given the chance. There are five perspectives on abnormal behavior, and those are biological, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitivebehavioral, and sociocultural hanley et al. He represents an almost total lack of ego, a superego based on a deviant. It is an extremely controversial novel, given its depiction of increasingly brutal. My case studies the novel american psycho 1991 by bret easton ellis and.
How does the movie american psycho differ from the book. Now that american psycho, which is the subject of this months guardian book club, has become an established feature of the literary landscape and is generally acknowledged as a. The behaviors of patrick bateman, a character in the film american psycho, are examined below in conjunction with the five perspectives of abnormal behavior and treatment methods for each. He is a 27yearold harvard graduate who now lives in new york city. To say that ellis creates twodimensional characters would be to flatter his understanding of human nature. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of psycho. The character of patrick bateman in american psycho from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Ive been known to be both a picky reader and a finicky film critic, and even i think the movie version of bret easton ellis novel, published in 1991, is faithful to the text its based on. The effect the city has on the characters of american psycho makes new york city its own character. An analysis american psycho is a novel about a serial killer. The best study guide to american psycho on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. Get e books american psycho on pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi and audiobook for free. A book usually doesnt fit into a movie, for example.
Patrick bateman is the ostensible protagonistvillain and narrator of the highly controversial novel. Furthermore, the project focuses a lot about bret easton ellis book american psycho. American psychos main character, manhattan yuppie patrick bateman. Learn all about how the characters in american psycho such as patrick bateman and evelyn richards contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot. Norman bates is a sicko, and marion made a really bad decision yet, marion and norman are still linkednot least in the fact that norman ends up killing marion, which functions as an ironic final punishment for her crimes. Its when bateman locates his prey, however, that american psycho turns genuinely disturbing. This is my first time post on here so please bear in mind with me. Analysis of the movie american psycho 1295 words 6 pages. Thats right american psycho has one of those classic twist endings where most of the action of the movie and the book was a fantasy. American psycho s social criticism is purely sophomorichorrifying only for its authors utter lack of narrative skill. Like the bret easton ellis book that its based on, the ending of mary harrons american psycho is rather ambiguous, and has been a source of debate amongst fans for a long time.
Why dont you complete the comparison on the article. Patrick bateman is a rich kid who works on wall street. Examining the personality of patrick bateman of american. Analysis of the movie american psycho 1658 words 7 pages.
Written by clemens van ravels and other people who wish to remain anonymous the story revolves around investment banker patrick bateman who is also the narrator. Ellis explained that the book was really about the dandification of the american male. American psycho study guide contains a biography of bret easton ellis, literature. Gq was inordinately helpful in costuming the characters in the book. American psycho, novel by bret easton ellis, published in 1991. American psycho is a movie adaptation directed by marry harron released in the year 2000 that was based off of the 1991 novel of the same name authored by bret easton ellis.
Capitalism, violence, and sexuality american psycho by bret easton ellis and dracula by bram. Psycho is the horror story of norman bates, his strange relationship with his mother, and the motel he runs on the side. American psycho study guide from litcharts the creators. While initially appearing straightforward, the film. He works on wall street, has a pretty girlfriend, and spends most of. In the novel, there are several scenes where bateman admits that all his friends look alike to him and that he constantly mixes them up. He describes his daily activities, including going to nightclubs and taking drugs, and also his relationship with evelyn, his mother, and brother. The main character, patrick bateman, is a wealthy and successful lawyer.
American psycho essays are academic essays for citation. American psycho is a novel that makes a statement about modern society. When published in 1991, bret easton elliss american psycho caused outrage for. Patrick bateman of brett easton ellis american psycho presents a unique challenge for personality theories. Patrick bateman is the protagonist in the film american psycho. The very image of a yuppie, he is obsessed with his health, cleanliness, appearance, money and music collection. American psycho begins with the words at the entrance to dantes hell, scrawled in blood red lettering on the side of the chemical bank near the corner of eleventh and first. The character of patrick bateman in american psycho from. The film adaptation of the bret easton ellis novel american psycho was released in 2000, and has been confusing viewers ever since.
The novel was published in 1991 by the daring author bret easton ellis and was later adapted into a movie production in 2000 by the director mary harron. Thus there can be no objective analysis of the novel. Detailed analysis of characters in bret easton elliss american psycho. Examined is how psychoanalytic theory applies to this character. Shes transformed a novel about blood lust into a movie about mens vanity. The characters are predominantly concerned with material gain and superficial appearances, traits indicative of a postmodern world in which the surface reigns supreme. Always update books hourly, if not looking, search in the book. As far characters he is similar to or inspired by i would place patrick bateman in the same category as norman bates from psycho. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of american psycho by bret easton ellis. Bateman also exhibits insanity or in particular schizophrenia. Shocking the reader in american psycho and a clockwork orange. American psycho is a satirical novel written by bret easton ellis and published in 1991.
The characters are predominantly concerned with material gain and superficial appearances, traits indicative of a. Of course, the violence in american psycho and arendts banality of evil are not completely superimposable, but it might be interesting. About the author ke monahan huntley is an editor and publisher based in southern california. Need help on characters in bret easton elliss american psycho. It may seem like one of the cheaper ways to end a story, a cliche finale used so often it practically has a spot on the hollywood walk of fame.
American psycho is the story of patrick bateman, a rich, arrogant, twentysomething yuppie in 1980s new york, who also happens to be an insane serial killer. Jay electronica exhibit a instrumental cliff martinez. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan businessman. He lives in 1980s manhattan and works on wall street. Irvine welsh american psycho is a modern classic books the. Another example is that a novel describes and a film shows things. Indeed, the pages of gq provided rich source material for the excruciatingly detailed descriptions of designer style found in american psycho.
American psycho characters from litcharts the creators. I am currently writing a project in my field of study, which is about the creation of identity in the late modern society. Hunter, american psycho is largely a critique of the shallow and vicious aspects of capitalism. As described by the critic jennifer krause in her intertextual analysis of the novel, which relies on the work of. As film adaptations of books go, the movie american psycho released in 2000 is fairly spoton. Bret easton ellis made the choice to seamlessly integrate that fantasy with the real events of patricks life so that the reader has to figure out where the fantasy ends and reality begins. Collective identity in american psycho film analysis all video clips from american psycho 2000, lions gate films songs used.
Get everything you need to know about patrick bateman in american psycho. I would say that the best source for research was the book. Ellis characters or often consumerist, materialist and narcissistic to the point of being. This type of behaviour displays batemans loneliness and isolation from others. Pdf unknowable protagonists and narrative delirium in american. In praise of american psycho the capitalist satire come. In praise of american psycho the capitalist satire come full circle. A big difference in my opinion is that a book lends itself. A novel and a movie always differ, theyre very different media. I still think american psycho should be in my top ten books of all time.
American psycho characters from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. He is interested in luxurious clothes, expensive restaurants, fashion, and personal appearance harron, 2000. Marion crane, who steals a large sum of money, and norman bates, whos a mass murderer. It was written in the first person perspective by bret easton ellis in 1991 in the personality of patrick bateman. My reading of american psycho is that most of what happens in the book is patricks fantasy. He is the quintessential citizen of consumer society who consumes the victims of his insanity. It is an unreliable first person narrative, in the present tense, given by the main character, patrick bateman, who is a yuppie living in 1980s new york city. If the book took place in another city, it is quite possible that the plot would be altered to fit the culture of that locale. In the movie patrick tends to show lack of empathy, he also think he is an important man or sense of selfimportance. Analysis of novel and movie production american psycho has been recognized as a brilliant thriller of its time and can legitimately be labeled a scandalous novel. Patrick bateman is the titular villainous protagonist of bret easton ellis 1991 controversial novel american psycho, and its film and stage adaptations. Courtney, one of evelyn s closest friends, is in a highlyunfulfilling relationship with luis carruthers and having an ongoing affair with patrick bateman. Set in manhattan during the wall street boom of the late 1980s, american psycho follows the life of wealthy young investment banker patrick. Patrick bateman comes from the novelization of american psycho by bret easton ellis.
This weeks video essay is a film analysis of mary harons american psycho. I think the overall meaning of the novel will be different depending on whether the. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of american psycho by bret easton ellis. Jean is patrick bateman s secretary, or, as he refers to her, my. American psycho by bret easton ellis books the guardian. Analysis of american psycho and abnormal psychology hubpages. We look into the character of patrick bateman and see what makes him go crazy. A male director might have thought patrick bateman, the hero of american psycho, was a serial killer because of psychological twists, but mary harron sees him as a guy whos prey to the usual male drives and compulsions. A successful movie version of the novel, starring christian bale in the lead role, appeared in 2000 american psycho is, above all, an ugly book. American psycho is an allegoric movie that satirizes on the american society, in which material values are more important that moral ones. There are more than 1 million books that have been enjoyed by people from all over the world. I thought this was a great quick summary and analysis of the book characters.
American psycho characters from litcharts the creators of. It was really about what is going on with men now, in terms of surface narcissism. Both book and film offered a caustic, nostalgic view of the gogo 80s, with. A screen adaption arrived less than a decade later care of director mary harron, hitherto best known for her truelife tale of ny protofeminism, i shot andy warhol. American psycho ist ein roman des usamerikanischen autors bret easton ellis. Look no further than bret easton elliss controversial novel american psycho, which. Patrick bateman patrick bateman is the main character of the novel and serves as the narrator for the most part as well.