brookeblanchette-blog

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Love Writing...HAHAHAaaaa

Honestly the general introduction wasn’t as hard as I thought, however it was really hard to start. I knew what I want to write but I don’t know how to find my way into the conversation. This project as a whole isn’t as hard once you have all the information to get started. But that’s the thing, getting started. It is sooooo hard to start. First off it’s overwhelming as heck, and there is so much to do you don’t know what to do first. But once I get going, things start to flow. Almost over guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

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Movie Interpretation

It is said in many articles that the movie version of American Psycho critically helped the novel. The movie focused primarily on the two sides of Patrick Batman. Through the motif or black and white, masks, and only seeing half a face primarily, the directer was able to illustrate that, given the situation, Patrick Batman has a primary persona while the other is shut away. It showed critics that the novel originally had a deeper meaning than perceived from the surface as a novel of detailed porn and gruesome murders and torture. The movie concluded that Batman couldn’t escape from his lack of individuality, because no matter how hard he tried to tell people he was a murderous psycho path, they declined to listen and disbelieved a man like him would ever do something like that. He is stuck in the world of consumption and class status. What the film didn’t make as apparent is the fact that Patrick Batman represents society, specifically the financial workers on Wall Street, those of which who caused the stock market to crash. In the novel, Ellis made references to T. Boone Pickens, Ivan Boesky, Micheal Milken, and Tom Wolf, all of which who were involved in scandals on Wall Street. Patrick Bateman’s killings are representations of the people on wall street doing anything to get ahead “killing” society. 

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Narrative

It is apparent that the narrator is Patrick Batman in the novel, however, is he reliable? Through researching many criticisms it is a controversial topic. I agree with the articles that suggest Patrick Batman is unreliable. In said articles, Ellis was quoted saying how the murders were Patrick's imagination proving that a reader can not trust Patrick Batman's perception of his situations. While reading a criticism by Leigh Claire La Berge, an argument was made that shocked me. She argued that the narrator is actually the ATM machine! Referred to as the “teller”, Batman visits the ATM periodically through out the novel and mentions he always goes to it, and conveniently it is before every murder. I personally am a little hesitant believing in this scenario, however, it is intriguing taking on that point of view. 

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Can’t Escape From Conformity

Bateman is trapped in conformity. He wants to be like everyone else in high society but then also want to stand out. The battle over unimportant issues like business cards and who makes reservations at the most exclusive places is what the people(high class society) strive for in life, not their actual jobs. “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory, and though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable: I simply am not there”(377). Patrick Bateman is a man trying to be the best and in doing so he does everything everybody else does who wants to be the best. That is why there is no sense of identity in the novel, everyone mistakes each other for a different person because they are all the same. This is way Bateman is creating this other life, killing people, because that makes him different form the others and there is no conformity being a psycho path, he is free. Unfortunately for Bateman, he doesn’t get the justification of feeling different because every time he tries to tell people or when he strait out says he is a serial killer, they either think it’s a joke or they are to involved in their own lives to listen. “THIS IS NOT AN EXIT” There is no escape from conformity, it swallows you up and consumes who you are. 

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Who Is He?

Patrick Bateman doesn’t have much of an identity beyond his consumption of media in which controls every aspect of him. But does he suffer from multiple personality disorder? Bateman is a well off yuppie but has a serial killer persona. I feel he is a psycho path hiding behind the mask of a Wall Street man, playing a role. He is like Jekyll and Hyde, a handsome man with a monstrous side. He has two personalities, one is like a trap, his handsome expensive side lours in his victims while his other side uses and then kills them. It seems at moments he cannot control himself. He makes verbal assaults towards people, it’s a good thing they don’t notice, and disturbing thoughts. Both aspects of Bateman’s character are consistently battling for control, so who wins?  

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Consumer Puppets

The characters in American Psycho are high class narcissists who live their lives the way media tells them to. Patrick Bateman, the narrator, lives and breaths for what’s in and what media tells him is the best. The media has him in the palm of its hand because what comes out of his mouth when he is talking to his friends is regurgitation from articles he reads, the clothes he wears are only from high critically reviewed designers, and he only eats at the restaurants that New York Times recommends is the best. 

People are so wrapped up in their own lives that they don’t listen to others around them and they constantly argue about the recognition of a person they see because they everybody is not important enough to remember. It is almost humorous in the novel that the characters are always in a disagreement with identifying a person and how people come up to them and call them the wrong name. They just play it off because they are use to it. Bateman’s coworkers and the girls he is with are so self absorbed that they don’t even process the outtakes Bateman has about wanting to hurt them, they just follow the talk of the previous conversation like nothing happened. Any other person would catch his insane requests and violent outtakes, unfortunately, these characters only care about themselves and how they are presented through the eyes of the media.  

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Guess passes weren't working(thank God my sister goes to OU) and the printers were confusing but thanks to this librarian it was smooth sailing.

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Average Day Outfit for Patrick Bateman

Hugo Boss Extra Slim Fit 2 Piece Men's Suit 100% Virgin Wool Astian/Hets 50321255/423 Blue Check by HUGO

by HUGO BOSS

$ 399 95

Boss Hugo Boss Diamonds Woven Italian Silk Tie, Bordeaux 3" (7.5 CM)

$ 98 00

Joseph Abboud White Classic Fit Dress Shirt

$99.99

Brooks Brothers shoes 

$ 698.00

Back to the clothing. Patrick Bateman is all about looking good, but more importantly, looking expensive. He gets a manicure at least twice a week and a facial almost every other day. He goes to a gym every day and flexes his muscles every time a girl comes close enough to touch him. He has money to burn so why not spend it all on looking good? It’s hard to imagine that he is only 26 with the amount of money and the job he has. The people I know who are twenty-six are just starting their career or finding a job, aka broke. He finds non expensive things insulting; he doesn’t bat an eye at a $300 dinner, its cheaper than he normally expects (gloating).  

As I am reading this book, his back story is always lurking in the back of my mind. I want to know how he came to be who he is, a psycho path serial killer who works on Wall Street with loads of money and style at only 26. Maybe he had daddy issues, I don’t know yet. 

Anyways, this man has charm and almost pushes you in the direction that he is a good guy, which freaks me out because why would I want to be understanding towards a man who keeps a severed head in his freezer. This is what is intriguing about the way Bret Easton Ellis writes. He pulls you in and explains the human aspect of Bateman but in a second, one sentence, it all changes and you are like why is this man on earth because he is terrible. Just when you think you understand a guy the truth comes out and he wants to kill you. Ellis almost snaps the reader back into reality by luring them into a long explanation of how good of a person he is or how normal he is and then makes a quick transition to show who he really is. We get pulled in to the man with a business persona but who is actually a psycho path. Only if his friends and the people in his life new the true side of him compared to the person they think they know. Yikes, run!!

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Brand Names are Everything

Ok, God forbid anybody wear an off brand anything; Patrick Bateman (the psycho path telling the story) is always describing, in great depth, what every person he sees is wearing and who it’s made by. It is one thing to notice the color that flatters the person wearing it and if it fits them well, but that doesn’t matter; it is ALL about the brand name and how expensive it is. Reading all the his descriptions makes me realize that I do not know any designers or brand names.Bateman and all of his friends discuss clothing, suits in particular, and how to properly wear them: “Is it proper to wear tasseled loafers with a business suit or not?”, “Now are rounded collars too dressy or too casual? Which tie knot looks best with them?”,  “You should match the socks with the trousers”. These are just a few examples of their discussions and, for the most part, the questions are directed toward Bateman to answer them, which he does with confidence thinking that he knows every answer. 

Clothing is one way that people show off how much money they have. In this case, the working men on Wall St. are more than happy to express their opinions and experience with wearing expensive suits and accessories. What a person wears gives a first impression and the men are going for rich and powerful. 

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It’s what’s on the inside that counts... in a perfect world

“I avoid looking down at my body, not so much because it’s shameful or immodest but because I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to look at something that determines me so completely”(82).

It is sad that we still live in the world today that judges people on their appearance. Of course we want to believe that it is what’s on the inside that counts but strangers don’t see that at first glance. When a person notices another, they see what they see and makes assumptions right off the bat. The Handmaids in this novel are told they are vessels and nothing more; they cannot come across appealing in the eyes of men. There can be no emotional attachment just a job that has to be done. 

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Don’t let the bastards grind you down

nolite te bastardes carborundorum the secret note carved where no one can see it was left by the previous handmaid who, we later found out, killed herself. The way I see it, this message was an inspirational one meant to be a constant reminder to stay strong and basically not end up emotionally drained to the point of suicide.  There is a reason for all of the safety pro-cations taken when someone has a life like hers and even when times are tough, this reminder can change her mindset to remain empowered and not give anyone the satisfaction of winning if she stops fighting. Like it says, don’t let the bastards grind you down.

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The Handmaid’s Tale

“ ...it’s the red dress she disapproves of, and what it stands for”.

It is the color of red that defines her and it sticks out among the crowds. It is a color that symbolizes a warning, something to steer clear of. This kinda reminds me of the Scarlet Letter; the fact that women have to wear something, such as a symbol or color,  in public so everyone knows who they are and what they do.

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Don’t Read This

Made you look! Of course you read this if someone tells you not to... however in my case, I am telling you to read something. Not just any something, the something that is greater than most somethings. I recommend reading The Shining, by Stephen King. Not only is it a great thriller, it provides examples of deeper meanings and thought provoking topics that are good for discussions. Many may argue that they will not read the book  because it is scary, but those people are missing out. It is true that the book provides suspense and the occasional creeps, but those are not good reasons to dismiss a book that is well written and explains the transformation of it’s characters. The book will also tear at your heart strings for those who connect with the characters. One part of the book that gets me, is when Danny truly sees his dad for the last time, “ But suddenly his daddy was there, looking at him in mortal agony, and a sorrow so great that Danny’s heart flames within his chest. The mouth drew in a quivering bob. ‘Doc,’ Jack Torrance said. “ Run away. Quick. And remember how much I love you.’” No matter what Jack Torrance did to his son, Danny loved him anyways. The father son bond through out the book is an interesting relationship to follow when reading the book. The Shining is a classic novel that can hook any reader, so here I am, a person who is not a big reader, recommending this great book to you. Enjoy!

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Permission

I give myself permission to find peace and not stress out all the time!

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I see where you are coming from when you say that people are quick to come up with conclusions with out knowing the people they are stereotyping, how do you think these specific stereotypes formed? Did they evolve over the years into different stereotypes? I agree when you say everyone is guilty of stereotyping people because I think everyone does it because they don’t know any better. People are brought up with media surrounding them, displaying all sorts of stereotypes in which the viewers take away from the media and apply it to their life. It is truly inevitable.

Stereotypes

I used to think that stereotyping was something that could be avoided. We were always discouraged from putting people into categories and assuming they are something they’re not. When talking to Sydney, I realized that we all have been stereotyped and have also stereotyped others. It’s not something that can so easily be avoided. It’s so easy to quickly come to conclusions about someone as a way to fill in blanks. When we don’t fully understand or know someone, we generalize them based on their appearance. Everyone at one time or another has been guilty of placing someone they hadn’t known into a category. It is inevitable. It’s hard not to look at someone and form a mental opinion based on what you see rather than what you know for sure. For example, adults stereotype teenagers as loud and obnoxious, so they don’t take us seriously. Stereotypes cause us to look past actual meaningful qualities and assume we already know what a person is like.

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Stereotype

When I first thought about stereotypes, I imagined how people dressed and who they are in school. I have seen people stereotyped in school the most, not just because I have been in school most of my life but because school is a place where kids are stuck and become aware of there peers, watching them and categorizing them into made up clicks. Students categorize their classmates by looks, hobbies, and intelligence. For example, they give the stereotype of a basic white girl or dumb blond to girls who are fond of name brands, boy bands, and have a big personalities. I witness stereotyping clicks in school because in a lot of TV shows that take place in a high school setting, they exaggerate certain stereotypes by making the Asians the smartest kids, the white blonds cheerleaders who are not that bright, black delinquents, and dumb jocks.

       After the discussion with my classmates, my view on stereotypes broadened from just stereotypes in school to stereotyping skin color, race, and gender. A lot of personal stories where told about how the way a person acts is wrong if it doesn’t fit the stereotype that is attached with the color of their skin. If a black girl talks respectful and enjoys name brand items along with her Starbucks coffee, then she is called an Oreo, black on the outside and white on the inside. If an Asian is doing bad in a class then they are not holding up to their stereotype of being the smartest kid. Stereotypes are a way to classify people and put them into groups, there are a few people who may be their stereotype, however, you can not class a person into a specific group because everyone behaves differently. 

     After uncovering my personal thoughts about stereotypes and hearing what my classmates mentioned, I feel strongly that stereotypes are a way to put people in a place, make them fall under some category as a way to be seen in society, because it is easier to group types of people then knowing each person individually. Stereotyping is terrible and a misrepresentation of individuals, however, it is strong in media today and i don’t believe it is leaving anytime soon.  

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Freedom just out of reach