Psychological and Physical Violence in Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Authors

  • Omar Abbas Sallal Assistant Lecturer College of Business Economics, Al Nahrain University, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36473/ujhss.v62i3.2201

Keywords:

Dexter, Lindsay, Obedience experiment, Milgram, violence

Abstract

This study aims to examine the psychological and physical violence in Jeff Lindsay’s Darkly Dreaming Dexter. This study analyzed the psychological and social influences on serial killers by using two theories; Milgram’s “Obedience Experiment”, the experiment proved that the majority of people will obey the instructions that came from higher authority without thinking about moral values. The second theory is Sigmund Freud's beliefs about violence and right he thought that violence is a natural thing and there is a strong relationship between violence and right. The research samples are the serial killers and their victims and how theories put forward affect those characters. The main results of this study are the deep analysis of serial killer characters and an understanding of the main point of the motivations for these violent actions. In Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Jeff Lindsay employs the traditional style of psychological horror to give a realistic image of serial killers.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

• Allely, C., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Wilson, P., & Gillberg, C. (2014). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(3), Aggression and Violent Behavior.

• Carlisle, A. (1993). The Divided Self: Toward an Understanding of the Dark Side of the Serial Killer. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 17(2), 23-36.

• Dogra, T., Leenaars, A., Chadha, R., Manju, M., Lalwani, S., Sood, M., & Behera, C. (2012). A Psychological Profile of a Serial Killer: A Case Report. OMEGA — Journal of Death and Dying, 65(4), 299-316.

• Ellis, E. American Psycho (1991). Vintage; 1st edition.

• Ettler, J.(2012) The Best Ellis for Business: A Re-Examination of the Mass Media Feminist Critique of American Psycho. (Ph.D. diss.) The University of Sydney. Retrieved from: http://hdl.handle.net/2123/10020

• Freud, S. & Einstein A. (1933 [1932]), Why War?, in “Standard Edition”, 22, London: Hogarth, pp. 195-215.

• Freud, S., Strachey, J., Freud, A., & Rothgeb, C. L. (1953). The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud. Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis.

• Lunt, P. K. (2009). Stanley Milgram: Understanding obedience and its implications. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Magistrale, T. (1996) and Morrison,A. (Eds.). A Dark Night's Dreaming: Contemporary

• American Horror Fiction. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.

• Milgram, S. (1975). Psychology in today's world. Educational Associates.

• Milgram, S., & Blass, T. (2010). The individual in a social world: Essays and experiments (3rd expanded ed.). Pinter & Martin.

• Morton, R. J. & Hilts, M. A. (2008). Serial Murder: Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives for Investigators. US Department of Justice: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Online version: https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/serial-murder/serial-murder-1#two

• Murphet, J.(2002) Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho: A Reader’s Guide. London and New

• York: Continuum.

• Schmid, D.(2005) Natural Born Celebrities: Serial Killers in American Culture. Chicago:

• The University Of Chicago Press.-‘Serial Killing in America After 9/11,’ The Journal of American Culture; Performing Arts Database.

• Schug, R. A., Tabata, A., & Lucas, A. P. (2018). The Biopsychosocial Developmental Timeline Approach to the Study of Serial Homicide: A Comparative Study of Two Incarcerated Multiple Killers. Oral paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, Georgia.

• Simpson, Philip L. (1996). Psycho Paths: Tracking the Serial Killer Through Contemporary American Film and Fiction. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2000. Print. - Blurring All Boundaries: The Postmodern Narratives of Multiple Murder. (Phd diss.) Southern Illinois University.

• Vaughn, M. G., Salas, W. C. P., DeLisi, M., & Perron, B. (2014). Correlates of traumatic brain injury among juvenile offenders: A multi-site study. Criminal Behaviour & 35 Mental Health, 24(3), 188–203. https://doi-org.csulb.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/cbm.1900.

• Ungar, M. 2016. “Horrible but True: Early Abuse Can Create Strength” on Psychology Today.

• Harris. (1988, August 29). The Silence of the Lambs.

• Sofsky, W. (2003, August 1). Violence. In Terrorism, Genocide, War.

• Vronsky, P. (2004, October 5). Serial Killers. In The Method and Madness of Monsters. Berkley. https://doi.org/10.1604/9780425196403

• Lindsay, J. (2004, November 1). Darkly Dreaming Dexter: Vol. Vol. 1. Orion Media.

• Lindsay, J. (2005, July 19). Dearly Devoted Dexter: Vol. Bk. 2. Doubleday.

• Lindsay, J. (2007, December 1). Dexter in the Dark.

• Lindsay, J. (2009, September 1). Dexter by Design. In DEXTER NEW BLOOD, the Major New TV Thriller on Sky Atlantic (Book Four): Vol. Bk. 4. Orion.

• Milgram, S. (2010, February 22). Obedience to Authority : An Experimental View.

• Lindsay, J. (2010, September 1). Dexter Is Delicious: Vol. Bk. 5. Orion.

• Frued, S. (2011, March 13). Dream Psychology - Psychoanalysis for Beginners - Sigmund Frued. Book Jungle.

• Lindsay, J. (2011, August 30). Double Dexter. Orion.

• Byrne, S., & Senehi, J. (2012, April 1). Violence. In Analysis, Intervention, and Prevention. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt234wcc.

• Lindsay, J. (2013, January 1). Dexter’s Final Cut.

• Lindsay, J. (2015, August 1). Dexter Is Dead.

• Estep, R. (2021, April 11). Serial Killers. In The Minds, Methods, and Mayhem of History’s Most Notorious Murderers.

Downloads

Published

15-09-2015

How to Cite

Psychological and Physical Violence in Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. (2015). ALUSTATH JOURNAL FOR HUMAN AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 62(3), 363-374. https://doi.org/10.36473/ujhss.v62i3.2201

Similar Articles

21-30 of 63

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.