American Psycho

American Psycho
source
Author	Bret Easton Ellis
Country	United States
Language	English language
Genre	Satire, Psychological thriller
Publisher	Vintage Books
Publication date	1991
Media type	Print
Pages	399
Awards	Bret Easton Ellis won the Medicis Prize in 1992 for Glamorama

American Psycho. The novel, written by Bret Easton Ellis, is a Satire of 1980s Yuppie culture, exploring themes of Materialism, Narcissism, and Violence. The book is set in Manhattan, New York City, and follows the life of Patrick Bateman, a wealthy Investment banker with a dark and troubled personality, influenced by the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Albert Camus. The novel has been compared to the works of Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, and Kathy Acker, and has been praised by Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal.

Plot

The plot of the novel revolves around the life of Patrick Bateman, a wealthy Investment banker who works at Pierce & Pierce Investments in Manhattan, New York City. The story is told through Patrick Bateman's narrative, which is often unreliable and stream-of-consciousness. Patrick Bateman's life is marked by Excess and Decadence, as he engages in Promiscuity, Substance abuse, and Violence, influenced by the Punk rock movement and the works of The Velvet Underground. Throughout the novel, Patrick Bateman's narrative is interspersed with descriptions of 1980s fashion, Music of the 1980s, and 1980s culture, including references to Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna.

Characters

The characters in the novel are largely Satirical portrayals of Yuppie culture, including Patrick Bateman's Socialite girlfriend, Evelyn Williams, and his Business rival, Paul Allen. Other characters include Jean, Patrick Bateman's Secretary, and Donald Kimball, a Private investigator who is investigating Paul Allen's disappearance, influenced by the works of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. The characters are often One-dimensional and Caricatured, which serves to highlight the Superficiality and Materialism of Yuppie culture, as seen in the works of Andy Warhol and Jean Baudrillard.

Film_adaptation

The novel was adapted into a Film in 2000, directed by Mary Harron and starring Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman. The film was a Critical success and received several Award nominations, including a Satellite Award for Christian Bale's performance, and a Independent Spirit Award nomination for Mary Harron's direction. The film also starred Willem Dafoe as Donald Kimball, Jared Leto as Paul Allen, and Reese Witherspoon as Evelyn Williams, and featured a Soundtrack with music by David Bowie, The Cure, and New Order.

Reception

The novel received a Mixed reception upon its release, with some critics praising its Satirical portrayal of Yuppie culture, while others criticized its Graphic violence and Sexism, including Feminist critics like Andrea Dworkin and Catherine MacKinnon. The novel has since become a Cult classic and is widely regarded as a Classic of Contemporary literature, influencing the works of Chuck Palahniuk, Douglas Coupland, and Jennifer Egan. The novel has been translated into numerous Languages, including French, Spanish, and German, and has been published by Vintage Books and Picador.

Themes

The novel explores several themes, including Materialism, Narcissism, and Violence, which are all central to the Satirical portrayal of Yuppie culture, influenced by the works of Thorstein Veblen and Jean Baudrillard. The novel also explores the theme of Identity, as Patrick Bateman struggles to reconcile his Public image with his Private self, a theme also explored in the works of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan. The novel's use of unreliable narration and stream-of-consciousness narrative serves to highlight the Subjectivity of Truth and the Instability of Identity, as seen in the works of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

Background

The novel was written by Bret Easton Ellis in the late 1980s, during a time of great Social change and Cultural upheaval in the United States, influenced by the Reagan era and the Cold War. The novel is set in Manhattan, New York City, which was a hub of Financial and Cultural activity during the 1980s, and features references to Wall Street, The New York Times, and The Village Voice. The novel's exploration of Yuppie culture and Materialism was influenced by the works of Tom Wolfe and Jay McInerney, and has been compared to the works of Don DeLillo and Thomas Pynchon. The novel has been praised by Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal, and has been influential in the development of Contemporary literature, including the works of Chuck Palahniuk and Jennifer Egan. Category:American novels