PATRICK BATEMAN , A CASE STUDY OF AMERICAN PSYCHO.
Patrick Bateman, the protagonist of Bret Easton Ellis’s “American Psycho,” is a complex character whose actions and internal monologue provide a deep dive into his psyche. In this study, both movie and novel scenes are combined to create a more in depth analysis of the notoriously famous character.
· Background
Bateman is a 27-year-old Harvard graduate working as an investment banker on Wall Street. He epitomizes the 1980s yuppie culture, obsessed with material success and surface appearances. He has a group of Wealthy Associates who he hangs out with who share the same shallow views as him as well as his fiancé named ‘Evelyn Williams’, who is just there for his social status and attachment to wealth rather than love. He cheats on her multiple times in the movie and later breaks off the engagement because she didn’t serve her purpose anymore. He constantly feels inferior to one of his colleague ‘Paul Allen’ which signifies the steps leading down the psychopath road as he kills a homeless man and a dog in a fit of rage that his business card wasn’t as superior as of Paul’s. the movie is Bateman is going down the rabbit hole of inferiority and superiority complex, which leads to him committing so mass murders , cannibalism and losing himself in the process.
Dual Nature
He presents two distinct personas. Externally, he is well-groomed, fashionable, and Successful , charming , Rich and a polite individual. Internally, he harbours violent impulses and profound insecurity and a distain to people , objects and places which he deems to be below his social standard.
Charecterization
Bateman is characterized by his sadistic desires and acts of violence, particularly against those he deems valueless, such as prostitutes and the homeless. His narrative reveals a man descending into a spiral of torture, hallucination, and insanity.
Personality Disorder
Bateman shows many characteristics that are present in schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and exhibits OCD tendencies. Characteristics of SPD include lack of close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives, behaviour or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar, odd beliefs or magical thinking, odd thinking and speech, unusual perceptual experiences, suspiciousness or paranoid ideation, ideas of reference, excessive social anxiety that does not diminish with familiarity, and inappropriate or constricted affect.
Consumption and Identity
His identity is closely tied to his consumption patterns. The novel critiques consumerism and capitalism by portraying Bateman as a product of these systems, where his self-worth is measured by his possessions and social status. He is constantly doing drugs , sleeping around, renting out video tapes and adult content which could be concluded that it gives him dopamine which in turn leads to addiction. But when he starts to feel a different kind of thrill when he kills people , he turns into a serial murderer which gives him satisfaction.
Violent Tendencies
Bateman’s violence escalates throughout the novel, from harbouring fantasies toacting them out in increasingly gruesome ways. This progression raises questions about the nature of hisreality and whether his actions are hallucinations or actual events.
· Narrative Reliability
As the narrator, Bateman’s reliability is questionable. The blending of his hallucinations with reality challenges the reader to discern the truth, adding a layer of complexity to his character study.
Societal Reflection
The character is also a reflection of society. The novel uses Bateman to criticize the superficiality and moral decay of the 1980s, suggesting that his psychopathy is a byproduct of the era’s values.
Psychoanalytic Perspective
From a psychoanalytic standpoint, Bateman represents an almost total lack of ego, a superego based on deviant morality, and an id that indulges in depraved fantasies without restraint
· Obsession with Appearance
Bateman’s meticulous attention to his appearance and routine, including his exercise regimen and beauty products, reflects his obsession with surface-level perfection.
· Idolization of Figures
He idolizes figures like Donald Trump, which signifies his aspiration for a certain type of success and recognition within his social circle.
· Materialism and Brand Fixation
Long lists of designer brands and expensive items fill the pages of the novel, showcasing Bateman’s materialistic nature and his fixation on societal status through possessions. He wanted to get into a famous restaurant called ‘Dorsia’ which actually leads to extreme frustration and lowered self worth when the reservation fails and the voice on the phone laughs at him which clearly throws him down the spiral.
· Descent into Madness
As the novel progresses, Bateman’s grip on reality weakens, leading to days filled with hallucinations. His violent tendencies not only intensify but also become more graphic and deranged, including cannibalism and public killings.
· Questioning Reality
The reader is left to question the reality of Bateman’s actions, especially after his shooting spree and subsequent confession, which are followed by a return to his routine life as if nothing happened.
· Social Duping
Bateman’s ability to charm and deceive others allows him to navigate society unnoticed, despite his unhinged and violent nature. His interactions often involve slipping dark desires and fantasies into conversations, which are either misheard or dismissed as jokes. His inner monologues depicted in the movie are one of the few things letting us the viewers/readers into his mind.
·Narcissism and Superficiality
Bateman’s character is marked by narcissism and a superficial focus on physical appearance and status, which contribute to his violent and psychotic behaviour especially on women which could be linked to underlying issues with his mother which is mentioned in the book.
Admission About Sanity
In the book, Bateman admits to an escort that he is losing his mind, while in the movie, this confession is made to his secretary, Jean. This could have occurred due to his extensive use of Cocaine and other drugs which drove him to the constant state of psychosis as the movie progresses.
· Homophobia
The book’s Bateman is explicitly homophobic and commits violent acts against gay individuals, which is toned down in the movie. But one of the main reference about it is when Luis Carruthers , a colleague and fiancé of Courtney Rawlinson [ who bateman is having an affair with] thinks that patrick is into him and tries to touch him when infact , bateman wanted to choke and kill him for getting a better business card. He fleds with panic as soon as possible.
· Obsession With Musicians
The novel dedicates entire chapters to Bateman’s obsession with musicians like Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, and Huey Lewis, which is not as prominent in the film. But the movie cleverly shows how his psyche deteriorates into madness of drugs , sex , murders and hallucinations through its soundtrack.
Violence and Gore
The novel contains more graphic descriptions of violence and a higher body count than what is depicted in the movie. It does have plenty of scenes which the fans deem ‘iconic’ (lets be real , this is a cult classic for a lot of reasons)
Character Depth
Some viewers find the movie’s Bateman to be less loathsome and more sympathetic, as he seems to want to “fit in,” unlike the book’s Bateman who appears to derive satisfaction from his disdain for others
FAMILY LIFE
Very little is mentioned about the family in the movie , but in the novels , Patrick has a brother named ‘Sean’ who is in college, along with his Mentally ill mother who gets admitted to the mental asylum for which he quotes ‘it was about time’ and his father Mr. Bateman who passes away soon after his wife is gone , which doesn’t seem to have a great relationship with him as even tho Patrick was in the hospital with his dad , they barely interacted and he was more interested in his fathers status and wealth rather than the last few days of his life. After this happens , Patrick stops funding sean , which signifies the brothers aren’t close either.
The ending of “American Psycho”
intentionally ambiguous and leaves much up for interpretation. As the movie progresses, Patrick Bateman’s violent actions escalate, culminating in a bloody chainsaw slaughter of two women in an apartment complex and a shooting spree. Overwhelmed by guilt, Bateman confesses his crimes to his lawyer, first via voicemail and then in person. However, his lawyer informs him that Paul Allen, one of Bateman’s supposed victims, is not dead. In the final scenes, Bateman returns to Paul’s apartment, where he had left several bodies, only to find it spotlessly clean and up for sale. The realtor, who seems to know what happened, tells him that no one named Paul Allen lives there and asks him to leave.
The movie ends with Bateman returning to his colleagues, carrying on as if nothing happened. This leaves the audience questioning the reality of Bateman’s crimes. Did he really commit those murders, or were they all figments of his imagination? The film’s director, Mary Harron, has stated that the events of the movie did occur and that Bateman is indeed a serial killer. However, the film does not clarify the true extent of Bateman’s crimes.
The ending of “American Psycho” is a critique of the corporate culture of the ’90s and ’00s, where maintaining a positive public image was more important than one’s actions. It reflects the societal indifference and apathy mirrored in Bateman’s character. Despite his confession, Bateman’s crimes go unpunished, further emphasizing the film’s critique of superficial societal norms
THEORIES ABOUT THE ENDING
