Postmodernism, Consumerism, and the Construction of Identity in American Fiction: Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho (1991) and Douglas Coupland's Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991)

Abstract

This dissertation conducts an in-depth exploration into the emergence of postmodern consumer culture in America, examining the powerful role of media and advertising as tools wielded by production companies to manipulate society towards hyper-consumption. Crucially, this research expands upon elements that remain underexplored in previous studies, placing particular emphasis on the complex dynamic of consumers in perpetuating the proliferation of consumption-driven lifestyles. In order to provide a comprehensive analysis, the dissertation draws upon the captivating narratives presented in American Psycho (1991) by Bret Easton Ellis and Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture (1991), as both novels depict the emotional turmoil, confusing social landscapes, and identity crisis that encapsulated consumer society in the 1980s and 1990s. Specifically, the investigation elucidates that whereas American Psycho exemplifies an extreme manifestation of materialistic overindulgence and the disintegration of identity, Generation X emphasises a resistance to consumer-oriented paradigms through the mechanisms of irony, nostalgia, and the adoption of alternative lifestyle choices. This research brings to light connections between postmodern consumer studies and relevant theoretical frameworks such as the theories of Jean Baudrillard, Karl Marx, Thorstein Veblen, and Fredric Jameson – particularly as they pertain to themes of conformity, alienation, identity (re)construction, and individuality– thus providing a rich understanding of these novels within their specific cultural contexts. The findings highlight the inherent paradox of consumer identity, the concurrent aspiration for individuality alongside a reliance on commodified representations. This research contributes to the ongoing scholarly discourse regarding the cultural and psychological consequences of late capitalism and postmodern consumerism, thereby providing a comprehension of the ways in which literature mirrors and critiques these prevailing dynamics.