Ellis refers to Dante’s Inferno in the opening line of the novel: “ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE” this caption, inscribed on the doorway to hell, is proleptic of the content of the book, acting as a caution to the reader, who will be subjected to “The ‘hell’ of endless presentations of consumer goods combined with scenes of gut-wrenching violence.” The graphic content alone in American Psycho is shocking however, Ellis carefully contrasts nauseating detail of brutal acts performed by the egotistical narrator, Patrick Bateman, with “some of the emptiest dialogue ever committed to print.” Endless description of male grooming products (such as the “Greune Natural Revitalizing Shampoo”), home electronics, and designer fashion brands not only emphasizes the significance of consumer society in ’90s America, but appears in such stark contrast to the horrific scenes of mutilation that the sadistic behavior of Bateman appears all the more appalling to readers. Likewise, Burgess’s depiction of an oppressive, totalitarian society is also crucial in understanding Alex’s desire for sadomasochism.Īmerican Psycho‘s “bizarre mixture of yuppie satire and splatter horror caused reactions of scathing criticism, indignation, yes, even murder threat.” The shocking nature of the novel is engineered by Ellis’s use of graphic content, imagery, and detailed description in conjunction with the other themes that are invoked, it is clear why American Psycho received such a controversial reception.

It can be said that Ellis’s presentation of a consumer society is fundamental in driving Bateman, Ellis’s protaganist, to act in the way he does. However, this is not to say that the principal purpose of these novels is to shock arguably, this is merely an effect generated by the form in which these books are presented. Both Burgess and Ellis employ literary techniques in their novels that are significantly directed toward provoking a controversial response from readers upon publication. Although it is not solely the violent content of the books that shocks, it is a “matter of form and style” and the methods used by both authors in their portrayals of monstrosity.

Nevertheless, the brutality and explicit expression that drench these novels is imperative in shocking the readers. The controversy surrounding Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho and Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange relates primarily to the central themes that are explored in both books.

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