The purpose of this paper is to analyze Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho" as a symbol and personification of a particular kind of society that critics have called the postmodern era of late capitalism. Bret Easton Ellis portrays Patrick as an individual whose life focuses primarily on obsessive consumerism. The condition of postmodernity marks the production of countless commodities that lead to excessive consumerism. This aspect is eminent in Patrick Bateman’s behavior which leads to his toxic masculine conduct and seriality of repetitiveness.
I argue that the main character, Patrick Bateman, represents these aspects because of a society that focuses above all on outer appearance and status. The aspiration for this ideal causes people to treat themselves and others harmfully. That circumstance makes characters such as Patrick Bateman and others like him treat people as consumer goods while disregarding their feelings and values.
"American Psycho" represents this pattern by portraying Patrick Bateman as an ideal performer who endlessly consumes, which shapes his view on others and leads to the subsequent murders since everyone has no real identity and becomes, therefore, interchangeable. Under the economic conditions of postmodernity, where everything is a commodity, people treat other people like commodities and in the same way that products are disposable, people become throwaway as well.
Hence, people, particularly women, turn into products for Patrick that he may repeatedly kill because he values having the most of everything; accumulating killing adds to his sense of status. He describes commodities in his environment in the same way he describes the narratives of his serial killings and other acts of violence. Patrick Bateman is merely a part of his environment, where everyone feels the urge to be more significant and superior to everyone else, which inevitably leads to the perpetuation of the same pattern.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Considerations
2.1 Postmodernism – A Culture of Late Capitalism
2.2 Gender Theory – Masculinity
2.3 Serial Consumerism
3. The Importance and Effects of Commodities
3.1 Patrick Bateman – Forging an Identity
3.2 ‘I Want to Fit in’: A Media Product of Capitalism
3.3 The Loss of Identity
4. Toxic Masculinity in a Culture of Late Capitalism
4.1 Patrick Bateman – Dominance and Superiority
4.2 Consumerism’s Effects on Patrick Bateman’s Masculinity
4.3 The Subjugation and Murder of Women
5. Seriality – The Consumer and Killer
5.1 The Parallel of Patrick Bateman’s Seriality
5.2 The Sense of Reality amidst Media Abundance
5.3 A Serial Killer of Consumer Culture – Imagination or Reality?
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Thematic Focus
This paper aims to analyze Patrick Bateman as an embodiment of the postmodern era of late capitalism. By examining his obsessive consumerism and his construction of a superficial, yuppie-like identity within a society obsessed with status, the work investigates how this environment fosters toxic masculine behavior and a loss of individuality, ultimately leading to violence and serial killing.
- The influence of postmodernism and late capitalism on identity formation.
- The relationship between consumer culture and the commodification of individuals.
- The construction and manifestation of hegemonic, toxic masculinity in the 1980s.
- The concept of "seriality" linking repetitive consumption to violent behavior.
- The blurring of boundaries between media-constructed identities, reality, and imagination.
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3.1 Patrick Bateman – Forging an Identity
One of the main features of the novel is the first-person narration of the main character Patrick Bateman. One is able to follow Patrick using his own perspective, which enables a more thorough look into his convictions and impressions of his immediate surroundings. While Patrick describes his actions and his environment, he also frequently dives into numerous monologues about his routines, music tastes, and descriptions of violent and murderous narratives. During all of these monologues and comments, Patrick Bateman occasionally expresses thoughts that elicit insights into his view of circumstances. In the first pages of the novel, Patrick restrains himself from constant interaction with other characters and rather observationally comments on the situation. The reader gradually learns about Patrick’s characteristics and manner of living throughout the plot, which establish his identity in a time of postmodern culture.
The beginning of the novel illustrates the environment in which he lives. His friends predominantly discuss the same superficial and materialistic topics, while they do not display any individuality since everything, they are interested in revolves around materialism and appearance. Patrick shows no positive feelings toward them or his relationship with his fiancé Evelyn who, like Patrick, openly flirt with others while neither show any sign of disdain for this behavior (Ellis 20-21). His thoughts about women are repeatedly based on sexual aspects that satisfy his desire or fantasies. This indicates that women are just something to indulge in for Patrick, a topic that will be covered in more detail in their respective chapters of this paper.
One of the first things noticeable about Patrick’s characteristics is his relentless focus on describing various objects and people in detail, such as outfits, style, technical devices, music albums, or places. This becomes apparent when he describes the “new Tumi calfskin attaché case”, or the “six-button wool and silk suit by Ermenegildo Zegna” and the “cotton shirt with French cuffs” (Ellis 4) worn by his friend Timothy Price.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the novel's context, the character of Patrick Bateman, and the overarching thematic investigation into postmodernism, capitalism, and toxic masculinity.
2. Theoretical Considerations: Outlines the theoretical framework, defining postmodernism, late capitalism, hegemonic masculinity, and serial consumerism to establish the foundation for analysis.
3. The Importance and Effects of Commodities: Explores how consumer products shape Patrick Bateman’s identity and his struggle to conform to the social standards of his peers.
4. Toxic Masculinity in a Culture of Late Capitalism: Analyzes Bateman’s performative masculine behavior, his need for dominance, and his violent objectification of women within the capitalist framework.
5. Seriality – The Consumer and Killer: Investigates the recurring patterns in Bateman’s life, connecting his addictive consumerism with his violent impulses and his detachment from reality.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis, reinforcing the argument that Patrick Bateman serves as a symbol for the destructive effects of postmodern late capitalism.
Keywords
American Psycho, Postmodernism, Late Capitalism, Toxic Masculinity, Consumerism, Identity, Seriality, Hegemonic Masculinity, Objectification, Bret Easton Ellis, Reagan Era, Yuppie Culture, Violence, Commodity, Media Representation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this analysis?
The work explores the character Patrick Bateman from Bret Easton Ellis's "American Psycho" as a symbol of the postmodern era of late capitalism, focusing on his consumerist behaviors and violent tendencies.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include late capitalism, the construction of identity through mass media, the rise of hegemonic and toxic masculinity, and the serial nature of consumption and violence.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how the conditions of postmodern society and excessive consumerism contribute to Bateman's toxic masculinity, identity loss, and serial killing behaviors.
Which theoretical methods are utilized?
The paper employs sociocultural and literary theory, primarily drawing on thinkers like Fredric Jameson, Judith Butler, Raewyn Connell, and Jean Baudrillard, to analyze the novel's environment.
What is explored in the main part of the thesis?
The main part analyzes how commodities define Patrick's life, his psychological need to "fit in," his dominant and toxic treatment of others, and how his actions mirror the repetitive nature of serial media.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by concepts such as consumerism, postmodernism, toxic masculinity, seriality, identity construction, commodity aesthetics, and the social critique of the 1980s.
How does Bateman’s need for an identity relate to his consumerist behavior?
Bateman attempts to build an identity solely through the acquisition of high-status commodities and maintaining a meticulously groomed appearance, as he lacks a distinct, internal sense of self.
Is Patrick Bateman considered a reliable narrator?
No, the paper notes that Bateman acts as an "unreliable narrator" whose claims are blurred by hallucinations and fantasies, and who often confesses his crimes without being recognized by others.
How does the work connect serial killing to consumer culture?
The author argues that Bateman's serial killing is a form of serial consumption where victims, especially women, are dehumanized and treated as "bodies" or "commodities" to be acquired and disposed of.
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- F. Mandi (Autor:in), 2023, Postmodernism’s Effects on Masculinity and Consumerism in Bret Easton Ellis’s "American Psycho", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1339279
