The Interplay of Sex and Violence: Literary and Non-Literary Perspectives

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In this investigation I will be exploring the representation of sex and violence within a literary and non-literary text. The literary text I will be investigating relating to the theme is 'American Psycho' by Bret Easton Ellis. Throughout the text, sex and violence is heavily shown through the protagonist Patrick Bateman by his explicit narrative of the sexual acts with extreme acts of violence occurring immediately after or during sexual intercourse between Bateman and his victim(s). Primarily to support this investigation of sex and violence within the novel, I will be focusing specifically on the chapters that include the violent sexual acts or thoughts/ feelings relating to the desire of violence through sexual gratification.

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The main chapters that will be explored are 'date with Evelyn', 'girl', 'Nells', 'girls', 'girls' (a different chapter further on in the book). The reasoning behind the chosen chapters is it mainly presents Bateman's personal narrative in which it not only describes the physical acts that occur but also describes Bateman's whole thought process behind it and the emotions linking to it whether he feels little or no remorse for it or if he feels pleasure from the extreme acts of violence as well.

Throughout the investigation I will be exploring Bateman's narrative and supporting my topic chosen through the variation of lexis that he uses, his tone when describing the acts and the school of thought he has during interactions with other characters, the language techniques that the author has used to present the links of sex and violence but also to create an effect for the reader to feel when reading the chapters that involve sex and violence.

Not only will I investigate Patrick Bateman's use of tone, lexis and language features but I will be focusing on the other characters that are involved within his 'fantasies' whether it is by speech or the movements described and also supporting the tone of Ellis' character Bateman in his personal narrative. One of the reoccurring themes that shows through the text is the formation of blurred lines between sex and violence, with the distinction between the two becoming almost similar within the text.

The theme, like the representation of sex and violence, will be explored through the graphic descriptions of sex and violence occurring within the same time period but also through Batemans personal thoughts relating to sex and violence with other characters in mind. Another theme that can be explored relating to sex and violence is misogyny; throughout the texts chosen within the novel Bateman presents his misogynistic motives during his interactions with the female characters within the novel, from his actions to his lexis used towards the females. He also presents another theme which can be seen as power as throughout the text he uses his financial power and upper class status to lure - more known grooming - the women to their demise which is death or risks of death.

The non- literary text that is being explored linking to the theme being investigated is a transcript of ted Bundy's last interview. I chose this as it is a suitable link to Ted Bundy as he was known to commit the murders for the fulfilment of sexual gratification within the desires he had which can be compared to Bret Easton Ellis' character Patrick Bateman in which they both present themselves as polished, admirable men with a darker side with the desire of

committing acts of violence or murder with the motive of sexual fulfilment for their own pleasure.

I will be exploring the reasoning behind Bundy's murder which primarily links to the pornographic material that he has read which is the possible suggestion of the blurred lines between sex and violence. Again, I will be focusing on the lexis, tone, language features and spoken techniques that he has used as it is a transcript of the audio of his last interview in support of the representation of sex and violence through his own accounts of his crime spree committed.

I will explore the reoccurring themes that are shown within both texts, blurred lines and misogyny, which will support his thoughts and feelings of sex relating to violence plus the materials that he mentions that reflect on his school of thought behind his motivation for sexual fulfilment during his murdering spree.

The spoken techniques will be most important in supporting this investigation as it will lay down the foundations to his explanations of the occurrences that has happened, the links between him and sex with violence and the tone of answers to the interviewer in which will present whether he understand the blurred lines between sex and violence relating to the materials he has read and the physical acts that he committed against the victims.

For my secondary reading, I will be looking at 'The Lust Murderer', this is a bulletin created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in which it informs and looks into lust murderers and their motives for these murders which essentially are what both Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and Ted Bundy can be classified as in terms of the investigation as they have a desire for fulfilment, specifically that of a sexual nature, through the violence they inflict upon others. It explicitly shows the desires and motives that murderers have.

By analysing the bulletin, I will be exploring the links it has to the literary and non- literary texts; I will be linking it to the character of Patrick Bateman and Ted Bundy in the nature of their respective crimes. I will focus on the blurred lines between sex and violence within crimes of violence such as murder.

In ‘The Explosive Mix of Sex and Violence (January 26th 2016 - psychology today) it explores the connections between sex and violence and the psychology that connects the two together. Primarily focusing on language aspects relating to the discussion of sex and violence the exploration of language being used to reflect upon the biological and social aspects of sex and violence. Plus, I will be analysing the language they use in terms of personal experience like the commonality of each female falling victim to the reported crimes.

'The sexual objectification of girls and aggression towards them in gang and non-gang affiliated youth' (may 2017 - Eduardo E. Vasquez). It identifies objectification of women and the violence that is inflicted upon in relation to gang and non-gang affiliated youths. This links to aspects of sex (objectification) and violence (aggression, and correlates the both together and will show how they are used as a combination towards the main sufferers of the aggressor's actions.

I will be analysing the themes that have been presented which are the blurred lines between sex and violence, misogyny, and power - as throughout the text the gangs of men mentioned presents themselves as misogynistic who intend to inflict sexual violence against their victims in order to assert their power and gain fulfilment through the desires that they have had beforehand which can be linked to the literary and non- literary texts as it can be seen with Patrick Bateman and Ted Bundy and their nature of their crimes and personal characteristics.

I will be exploring how lexis is used to explicitly present the representation of sex and violence but also the themes of the blurred lines between sex and violence, power and misogyny. I will also investigate the tones the texts are written in and linguistic techniques that have been chosen by each writer to not only give a thorough knowledge of sex and violence but also the effects it has on the reader; such as the personal interpretations.