Under the shiny cover of ‘American Psycho’ lies a narrative so wretched that it has been banned, setting sparks to debates on the limits of art and morality. This frightening novel by Bret Easton Ellis pushes societal norms and challenges the reader to face the uncomfortable. It has graphic depictions of gore, and it has ignited arguments about freedom of expression and censorship. The difficult balance between societal protection and artistic freedom has made it hard for anyone to enjoy the novel. The intense topics of violence, misogyny, and sadism have made American Psycho banned from reading in schools. The extreme gore and violence in the novel is the reason it is banned. All the reviews say it is nothing better than a repulsive bloodbath. The reason the violence is …show more content…
Some will argue that this makes the novel good, others will say the opposite. Furthermore, the carelessness Patrick shows about his violent crimes is disturbing. He talks about stabbing a child at the zoo the same way he talks about his skincare routine. All of this information shows how bad the violence is. Another huge problem in the book is the violent misogyny and the way it is repeatedly sexualized. Most commentators will talk about the harsh misogyny, but fail to mention how it is often shown in pornographic scenarios. This is why the novel is so uniquely scandalous. The merciless misogynistic violence is so eroticized that the reader's arousal often amalgamates with the descriptive violence. In addition to this, Bateman controls women to make himself feel superior. He controls his secretary’s clothing, and he renames his prostitutes, not bothering to learn their