Clothes, as Diana Crane establishes in her book Fashion and Its Social Agendas, “are a major tool in the construction of identity, offering a wide range of choices for the expression of lifestyles or subcultural identities” (171). However: “Social scientists have not articulated a definitive interpretation of how a person constructs social identity in contemporary society” (Crane 2). This might be one of the reasons why clothing has found its way into fiction, contributing to the characterization of protagonists and fictional world alike. The versatility of postmodern texts makes the analysis of clothing in connection with the process of constructing identities especially rewarding.
The term postmodernism is hard to define. In the preface to his book The Illusions of Postmodernism Terry Eagleton makes a distinction between postmodernism and postmodernity:
The word postmodernism generally refers to a form of contemporary culture, whereas the term postmodernity alludes to a specific historical period. Postmodernity is a style of thought which is suspicious of classical notions of truth, reason, identity and objectivity, of the idea of universal progress or emancipation, of single frameworks, grand narratives or ultimate grounds of explanation. (vii)
Postmodernism, then, reflects these notions in what Eagleton calls “a depthless, decentred, ungrounded, self-reflexive, playful, derivative, eclectic, pluralistic art which blurs the boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘popular’ culture, as well as between art and everyday experience” (vii). Although his definition is not in favor of postmodernism, it does indicate how diverse subject-matter as well as style in postmodern texts can be. In other words, “anything goes” (Mayer 543).
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CLOTHING IN AMERICAN PSYCHO
2.1. Fashion
2.1.1. The Language of Fashion
2.1.2. The Emptiness of Fashion
2.2. Violence
2.2.1. Torturing the Poor
2.2.2. Destroying the Mirror Image
2.2.3. Asserting Masculinity
2.3. Clothing as a Motif in American Psycho
3. CLOTHING IN PATTERN RECOGNITION
3.1. Culture
3.1.1. Culture Industry
3.1.2. Popular Culture
3.2. Creativity
3.2.1. Ambiguity
3.2.2. Recontextualization
3.2.3. Virtual Clothing
3.3. Clothing as a Motif in Pattern Recognition
4. CLOTHING IN A BOX OF MATCHES
4.1. Everyday Life
4.1.1. Writing About Everyday Life
4.1.2. Objects in Everyday Life
4.2. Enthusiasm
4.2.1. Appearances
4.2.2. Learning Experiences
4.2.3. Accomplishments
4.3. Clothing as a Motif in A Box of Matches
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis investigates the connotations of clothing as a significant motif in three postmodern American novels: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, Pattern Recognition by William Gibson, and A Box of Matches by Nicholson Baker. The study explores how these texts utilize clothing to construct character identity, signify antagonists, and define the protagonists' relationships with consumerism and everyday life.
- The intersection of fashion, consumerism, and the construction of identity in postmodern fiction.
- Application of sociological and cultural theories, such as those of Roland Barthes, Horkheimer and Adorno, and John Fiske, to literary representations of dress.
- The role of clothing as a mirror or a tool for psychological and social self-definition.
- Distinctions between elitist consumerist fashion, subverted popular culture, and the pragmatic functionality of everyday objects.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1. The Language of Fashion
Patrick Bateman constantly talks about clothes. In fact, one of the most obvious features in the novel are the endless descriptions of clothing. Not only the clothes Bateman himself wears but those of all new or newly appeared characters are described in minute detail. These descriptions are fact-based; the narrator does not offer any kind of judgment, at least when the clothes of his peers are concerned. The case is different when he talks about the clothes of homeless people, which I will discuss at a later point. For now, though, I will concentrate on the way Bateman talks about fashion. First of all, instead of actually conveying an image of his or his friends’ clothes he usually just mentions the clothes’ labels: “Price is wearing a six-button wool and silk suit by Ermenegildo Zegna, a cotton shirt with French cuffs by Ike Behar, a Ralph Lauren silk tie and leather wing tips by Fratelli Rossetti” (Ellis 4-5). Additionally, he functions as a constant reference guide for his friends in matters of clothing. When someone asks him how a vest ought to be worn, he answers: “It should peek just above the waist button of the suit jacket. Now if too much of the vest appears, it’ll give the suit a tight, constricted look that you don’t want” (Ellis 87). The way he talks changes when fashion becomes the topic of a conversation. He does not use colloquial language anymore but appears to be a lifestyle encyclopedia, able to open at any page to provide his friends with advice.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter defines the theoretical framework regarding postmodernism and consumerism, establishing the relevance of clothing as a tool for interpreting identity in fictional texts.
2. CLOTHING IN AMERICAN PSYCHO: An analysis of how Patrick Bateman uses fashion and designer labels to construct an artificial identity and mask his psychological emptiness, ultimately connecting his obsession to his violent behavior.
3. CLOTHING IN PATTERN RECOGNITION: This section examines Cayce Pollard's ambiguous relationship with brands, exploring the conflict between mass-market consumer culture and the creative subversion found in personal fashion choices.
4. CLOTHING IN A BOX OF MATCHES: An investigation into how Emmett finds beauty and meaning in the functionality of everyday clothing and objects, contrasting this pragmatic appreciation with the consumerist obsessions of the other novels.
5. CONCLUSION: The final synthesis compares the distinct roles of clothing across the three novels, arguing that postmodern writers use dress as a vehicle for evaluating social structures and personal identity.
Keywords
Postmodernism, Consumerism, Identity, Fashion, Clothing, American Psycho, Pattern Recognition, A Box of Matches, Roland Barthes, Culture Industry, Popular Culture, Recontextualization, Materialism, Everyday Life, Borderline Syndrome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic work?
This thesis examines the role and connotation of clothing as a literary motif within three specific American postmodern novels, exploring how authors use dress to characterize protagonists and comment on society.
What are the primary themes discussed in the analysis?
The central themes include the relationship between fashion and consumerism, the construction of social and personal identity, the conflict between individual autonomy and mass culture, and the functionality of objects in daily life.
What is the main objective of this study?
The objective is to demonstrate that clothing is not merely a superficial element in these novels, but a vital tool that reveals the protagonists' worldviews and their varying interactions with postmodern society.
Which theoretical methods are employed in the thesis?
The author applies various critical theories, notably Roland Barthes' work on the language of fashion, Horkheimer and Adorno's critique of the culture industry, and John Fiske's theories on popular culture and the "producerly" text.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body is divided into three distinct chapters, each focusing on one novel, providing both a theoretical background and a close reading of specific scenes to illustrate the multifaceted role of clothing.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Postmodernism, Consumerism, Identity construction, Cultural theory, Fashion, and everyday materiality as represented in the selected primary literature.
How does Patrick Bateman’s relationship to clothing differ from Cayce Pollard’s?
Bateman treats clothing as a rigid system of status-driven signs for identity construction, whereas Pollard experiences fashion as an overwhelming force that triggers physical allergic reactions, leading her to adopt a philosophy of anti-fashion.
Why does the author consider Emmett from 'A Box of Matches' a counter-concept?
Emmett is considered a counter-concept because, unlike the fashion-obsessed Bateman or the label-allergic Pollard, he views clothes primarily through a pragmatic, functional, and nostalgic lens, largely ignoring brand identity.
- Citation du texte
- Magistra Artium Theresa Wenzel (Auteur), 2007, Clothing and Its Connotations in Postmodern American Fiction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/115590
