Patrick betman in bret easton ellis` American psycho : satire of 1980s Americans - USD Repository

  

PATRICK BATEMAN IN BRET EASTON ELLIS’

AMERICAN PSYCHO: SATIRE OF 1980s AMERICANS

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

  By

AGUSTINA DIAN KD.

  Student Number: 034214067

  

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2007

  

PATRICK BATEMAN IN BRET EASTON ELLIS’

AMERICAN PSYCHO: SATIRE OF 1980s AMERICANS

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

  By

AGUSTINA DIAN K. D.

  Student Number: 034214067

  

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2007

  A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

  

PATRICK BATEMAN IN BRET EASTON ELLIS’ AMERICAN

PSYCHO: SATIRE OF 1980s AMERICANS

  By

AGUSTINA DIAN K. D.

  Student Number: 034214067 Approved by Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M. Hum. October 8, 2007.

  Advisor Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S. October 22, 2007.

  Co-Advisor

  A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

  

PATRICK BATEMAN IN BRET EASTON ELLIS’ AMERICAN

PSYCHO: SATIRE OF 1980s AMERICANS

  By

AGUSTINA DIAN K. D.

  Student Number: 034214067 Declared before the Board of Examiners on November 24, 2007 and Declared Acceptable

  

BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Name Signature Chairman : Dr. Fr. B. Alip, M. Pd., M. A.

  Secretary : Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum. Member : G. Fajar Sasmita Aji, S. S., M. Hum. Member : Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S. S., M. Hum. Member : M. Luluk Artika Windrasti, S. S.

  

“THE GIFT YOU HAVE”

I look at some gifted people ~ some God-given ~

gifted people ~ and oftentimes I wish I could do

what they do. But God does not want us to feel

guilty. Use the gifts you have, because God never

calls us to do more than that for which he has

equipped us.

  Anonymous

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Throughout my 22 years on earth and especially the four and a half years I have spent in college, God’s love has never stopped protecting and guiding me to the very spot I am today. Therefore my greatest gratitude first and foremost goes to God Almighty, thank you for guiding me to be who I currently am. Throughout those years, my parents inevitably are the ones who have supported me every single second, lifted me up every single time I fall and loved me when no one else would. Thank you, mom, dad; this is for and because of you. To my dearly annoying brother whose existence I have often taken for granted, thank you for never stopped helping me with things I could not cope with.

  Next, my huge gratitude goes to my Advisor and Co-Advisor, Miss Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S, M. Hum. and Miss Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S. whose guidance and support have made this thesis possible to be finished. I can never thank you enough for the wisdom, knowledge and especially patience that you have shown me. To my lecturers in English Letters department, thank you for the knowledge and guidance that you have given me throughout my years in college. May God bless you your whole life through.

  During my years in college, I have always been surrounded by people whose presence have helped me through my ‘rain’ and cheer me up whenever I need a smile. For that reason I would like to thank those who have considered me as their friend. To my dearest and nearest friends, Yoyox, Evan, Margie, Poppie, Uci ‘Maruci’ (one could never ask for a better friend) and the big family of Butuh

  ’06, Meme, Tiara, Stella, Danix, and those others whom I cannot name for it would be a never ending list. Still, you know who you are, and your names will never be erased from my heart. To Felix, Alice, Ginting, and Arus Bawah community, thank you for your generous help in making this thesis comprehensible. To the “PRUE” family, Mas Danang, Mb.Dian, Debby-bear, Aa’ Yere, Jupri, Ba-Nana, Alfa, and the others, thank you for having an outsider like me in your ‘circle’. I have had the best of time. A special thank goes to Mas Danang, thank you for calling me “Dek” almost the entire time we know each other. I truly appreciate it. Thank you also to Gregorius Purna for the inspiration that I can finally come up with such topic.

  Within the last year, I have also been blessed with a special new family whose support has helped me to be a better person and taught me to deal with life in a better manner. Thank you to the big family of the Language Institute of Sanata Dharma University (LISDU). It has been such a pleasure and honor being with all of you. I am terribly sorry for not mentioning your names one by one since I have found so many beloved people. Still, it will not lessen my gratitude. I truly expect more help, support and joy to be shared in our future times as a family.

  Last but not least, thank you, my fellow comrades who are still struggling for the better future. This is only the beginning so keep up the fight! Agustina Dian K. D.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE .......................................................................................................... i APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................... ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE .......................................................................................... iii MOTTO PAGE ....................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ ix ABSTRAK .............................................................................................................. x

  CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1 A. Background of the study ......................................................................... 1 B. Problem Formulation ...............................................................................

  5 C. Objectives of the Study ........................................................................... 5

  D. Definition of Terms ................................................................................. 5

  CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ......................................................... 7 A. Review of Related Studies ...................................................................... 7 B. Review of Related Theories .................................................................... 9

  1. Theories on Character and Characterization....................................... 9

  2. Theory on Representation .................................................................. 11

  3. Theory on Satire.................................................................................. 12

  4. Theory on Consumption .................................................................... 14

  5. Theories on Morality .......................................................................... 15

  C. Review on the United States of America in the 1980s ............................ 16

  D. Theoretical Framework ........................................................................... 20

  CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...................................................................... 22 A. Object of the Study .................................................................................. 22 B. Approach to the Study.............................................................................. 23 C. Method of the Study ................................................................................ 25 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS .................................................................................. 28 A. The Characteristics of Patrick Bateman which Represent the 1980s Americans .............................................................................................. 28 B. The behaviors of the 1980s Americans satirized through the

  characteristics of Patrick Bateman ......................................................... 44 1. Consumption ......................................................................................

  44 2. Morality ..............................................................................................

  50 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ............................................................................. 57

  BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................... 62

  APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... 65

Appendix 1: The Summary of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis ....... 65

  

ABSTRACT

  AGUSTINA DIAN KD. Patrick Bateman in Bret Easton Ellis’ American

  

Psycho: Satire of 1980s Americans. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,

Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University (2007).

  From time to time, literary works have been used as a means to satirize the misbehaviors of the society. This undergraduate thesis focuses on a particular literary work, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. This work has gained notorious popularity not only because of its graphic content of violence and sexual scenes, but also of the high consideration that the novel is a satire of the 1980s Americans. Such condition is worth studying in order to see that the novel truly satirizes the moral corruption of the 1980s Americans.

  This undergraduate thesis analyzes two main problems. The first one is the characteristics of the novel’s main character which represent the 1980s Americans, Patrick Bateman. The characteristics will then be analyzed further in order to reach the actual goal of the thesis which is to obtain the understanding on what behaviors of the 1980s Americans that the author, Bret Easton Ellis, satirizes through the characteristics of Patrick Bateman.

  The study of the novel was conducted through library research using related books, articles and internet resources. In conducting the study (analyzing process), first the characteristics of the main character was analyzed using theory on characters and characterizations. Next, Bateman’s characteristics and also the socio-historical background were analyzed using theory of satire to see that those characteristics really satirize the society. The final step was answering the second problem which is the behaviors of the society which Bateman’s characteristics satirize.

  In the novel, Patrick Bateman is described as a wealthy young man, clever, and well educated. He is also really concerned on what he and other people are wearing, especially the labels. These show that Patrick Bateman is a victim of conspicuous consumption which represents the society of the 1980s Americans. Bateman is also a racist, very narcissistic, obsessed on his physical appearance and a hypocrite. In terms of addiction, Bateman is also characterized by Ellis as having addiction on drugs, TV talk shows and violence. Bateman is also depicted as a person who loathes homosexuals. Bateman’s characteristics can be classified as a satire since they show the behaviors of the 1980s Americans who were spendthrifts, conspicuous-consumers, and merely care about labels, and put it in such a way which evoke laughter for the readers but still having the purpose to correct the misbehaviors of the society. From the analysis performed, it is known that the novel, American Psycho is truly a satire towards the 1980s Americans.

  

ABSTRAK

  AGUSTINA DIAN KD. Patrick Bateman in Bret Easton Ellis’ American

  

Psycho: Satire of 1980s Americans. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,

Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University (2007).

  Dari waktu ke waktu, karya sastra telah dipergunakan untuk menyatir perilaku manusia dan masyarakat yang menyimpang. Skripsi ini menitik beratkan pada karya sastra American Psycho karangan Bret Easton Ellis. Karya sastra ini memperoleh reputasi yang tidak baik bukan hanya karena kekerasan dan adegan seksual yang digambarkan secara vulgar, melainkan juga karena opini yang berkembang luas bahwa novel ini ialah sebuah satir terhadap masyarakat Amerika di tahun 1980an. Kondisi tersebut layak untuk dipelajari lebih lanjut untuk mengetahui bahwa novel ini benar-benar menyatir kebobrokan masyarakat Amerika di tahun 1980an.

  Skripsi ini menganalisa dua masalah utama, yang pertama ialah karakteristik tokoh utama sekaligus narator novel tesebut, yakni Patrick Bateman. Karakteristik ini kemudian dipelajari lebih lanjut untuk mencapai tujuan kedua dan utama skripsi ini, yakni mencapai pemahaman perilaku-perilaku apa saja dari masyarakat Amerika tahun 1980an yang disatir oleh Ellis melalui Patrick Bateman.

  Analisa novel ini dilaksanakan dengan cara studi pustaka menggunakan buku, artikel serta sumber-sumber online yang berkaitan. Dalam proses analisa, mula-mula karakteristik dari tokoh utama yang akan dipelajari dianalisa mengunakan teori karakter dan karakterisasi. Selanjutnya, karakteristik tersebut beserta latar belakang sejarah dan sosial dari masyarakt Amerika tahun 1980an dianalisa dengan teori satir untuk mengetahui apakah karakteristik tersebut merupakan suatu satir. Langkah terakhir dalam proses ini ialah menjawab rumusan masalah kedua, yakni perilaku-perilaku masyarakat Amerika tahun 1980an yang disatir oleh Bateman.

  Dalam novel ini, Bateman digambarkan sebagai seorang yang kaya, pintar, dan berpendidikan. Ia juga sangat memperhatikan apa yang ia dan orang lain kenakan terutama label atau mereknya, yang menunjukkan Bateman sebagai korban dari sikap konsumtif yang menggambarkan masyarakat Amerika pada era 80an. Ia juga seorang yang rasis, sangat narsis, terobsesi pada penampilan fisik serta seorang yang munafik. Bateman juga digambarkan sebagai seorang yang kecanduan narkoba, acara bincang-bincang di TV, serta kekerasan. Ia juga seorang yang membenci kaum homoseksual. Karakteristik-karakteristik tersebut dapat dikategorikan sebagai sebuah satir karena menggambarkan masyarakat Amerika pada tahun 1980an yang sangat konsumtif, dan hanya perduli pada merek. Deskripsi tersebut dilakukan dengan suatu cara yang memunculkan tawa namun bertujuan untuk meluruskan penyimpangan dalam masyarakat. Dari analisa yang dilakukan, dapat diketahui bahwa American Psycho benar-benar merupakan sebuah satir terhadap masyarakat Amerika pada tahun 1980an.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Both the author of these Notes and the Notes themselves are, of

  course, fictional. Nevertheless, such persons as the composer of these Notes not only exist in our society, but indeed must exist, considering the circumstances under which our society has generally been formed.

  (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground) From time to time, literary works are not only used merely as a device to satisfy the needs for entertainment or to express ideas and imaginations. In addition, they have also been used as a representation of the society, a means to identify the norms and values of the society, and also widely used as a way to satirize the misbehaviors of the society. However, this thesis will only focus on the function of a literary work as a means to satirize the misbehaviors of the society without referring to the other functions of a literary work. A satire can be described as the literary art of making a subject weaker or becoming less meaningful by making it ridiculous and evoking contemplation or even indignation (Abrams, 1993: 187).

  There are several ways possible to reveal or to be used as the satire towards a certain society. For example in the work by Molière, “The Misanthrope” which

  th

  was written in the 17 century, the characters that exist in the play are the representation of the people in the society at the time being which are brilliantly written in that they serve not only as a mirror but also a means to satirize the society. The satire is usually revealed through characters because they are the

  2 ones that can vividly describe the society and ridicule it at the same time through the characteristics of the characters. Such opinion is supported by Dostoyevsky’s words at the beginning of this chapter, taken from Notes From Underground, from which it can be understood that the persons that exist in a fictive work of art must exist in the society related to the situations of the society at that time. Therefore, the characters of a literary work, though fictional, must have some connections or relevance to the actual individuals or types of individuals in the society of the work’s time setting or of the time when the author lives.

  This undergraduate thesis focuses on a particular literary work, American

  

Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis which is one work that gained notorious popularity

  especially in the beginning of its publication, because of its graphic content of violence and sexual scenes. The main reason why this novel gained (and even still given) such reputation is due to the high consideration of the novel as a satire of the society at the time it was written, which is the 1980s Americans. This popularity is caused by the widely accepted consideration retrieved from that American Psycho’s main character, as well as its narrator,

  en.wikipedia.org

  Patrick Bateman, is the “metaphor for the plastic aspects (of) 1980s”. Such consideration is bothersome for the Americans especially because Bateman is described as a psychopath, drug abuser, and narcissistic man who is a member and product of capitalist consumerism.

  The consideration which puts American Psycho as a satire of the 1980s Americans and the bothersome that the Americans feel are worth studying in order to see whether or not the novel truly satirizes the moral corruption of the

  3 1980s Americans. Therefore, this thesis will discuss the novel as a satire of the society which is the Americans of the 1980s.

  In studying a literary work, the work must be analyzed first to see what it is talking about. According to the information retrieved from

  

American Psycho mainly tells

  about the life of a young Manhattan executive who is very successful in life, but living his night-time as a serial killer who kills people just to satisfy his needs to feel ‘complete’ in life. According to Katherine Dunn on her critique written on the back cover of the novel, or the blurb, this novel is a “masterful satire and a ferocious, hilarious, ambitious, inspiring piece of writing” which then provokes people not only to purchase the book, but also to consider the aspects of the society which it satirizes.

  Due to this thought, the aspects of the society satirized by the novel and also the means used to satirize them are relevant and essential to be studied on this undergraduate thesis. In brief analysis based on surface reading on the novel, it can be known that one aspect that is clearly satirized by the novel is the aspect of capitalist consumption. This aspect marks the society of Americans in the 1980s that is ‘crazy’ about anything considered as ‘high-class items’ and is engaged in mass consumerism. This capitalist consumption is personified by Bateman who gives a perfect example of a member of the capitalist society, a society who mainly cares about producing and accentuating wealth.

  Another knowledge found is that the character also satirizes the society who at that time became a drug-abusing generation, addicted to drugs and insisted it to

  4 be available on social gatherings. Through close reading and in-depth analysis, other aspects of the society which are satirized by Bateman will be able to be revealed in order to prove the opinion that the novel truly is a masterful satire and not merely a piece of junk or Ellis’ wild and ‘sick’ imagination caused by its vivid and detailed descriptions of violence and sexual activities.

  This thesis is written mainly in the purpose of studying whether or not Ellis’

  American Psycho copies “the model it is supposed to denounce” as stated by

  Alberto Manguel (Messier, 2004: 173) as retrieved from

  http://grad.uprm.edu/tesis/messiervartan.pdf. Manguel also has the opinion that American Psycho is “not a novel of literary claims” and cannot seriously be

  considered as a satire because of the minimalist prose style and the grotesque descriptions in it. Therefore, this undergraduate thesis is written to study Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho as the social satire towards the American society in the 1980s.

  Moreover, the behaviors of the society that the novel satirizes and the means used to satirize those aspects will also be studied by examining the character as the intrinsic element of the novel and the socio-historical background related to the novel.

  5

  B. Problem Formulation

  1. What are the characteristics of Patrick Bateman which represent the Americans of 1980s?

  2. What are the behaviors of the 1980s Americans satirized through the characteristics of Patrick Bateman?

  C. Objectives of the Study

  The study on this thesis is done at first to understand the characteristics of the novel’s main character, Patrick Bateman. This understanding is beneficial to reach the actual goal of the thesis which is to obtain the understanding on how the author, Bret Easton Ellis, satirizes the 1980s Americans through the characteristics of Patrick Bateman. Such objective is taken due to the statement by Bill Jackson, retrieved from www-tech.mit.edu/V111/N18/jackso.18o.html that this novel “manages to make a weak but definite point about the 80s”.

  D. Definition of Terms

  According to M.H. Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, satire is “the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation” which uses laughter as a weapon against the things exist in the society it wishes to criticize (1993: 187). Meanwhile according to Encyclopedia Americana

  

International Edition, Vol. 24, satire is a literary manner in which the follies and

  foibles of mankind are being ridiculed under the meaning to correct them (1995:

  6 294). However, according to en.wikipedia.org, even though satire is usually very funny and witty, the purpose of satire is not mainly focused on the humor and laughter, but “criticism of an event, an individual or a group in a clever manner” for a corrective purpose.

  In other words, satire is a way of derogating subjects, which are the lack of good judgment and weak aspects of mankind, by making it ridiculous, using laughter as a weapon for a corrective purpose. However, not all works evoking laughter are satire, but the ones that uses laughter, comedy, or other aspects of accentuating the “human follies and foibles” with a purpose of criticizing and correcting a certain issue, can be classified as satire. This definition is the one that is used and understood in this undergraduate thesis.

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies The novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis has been studied several

  times for various purposes. Here are two examples of studies done on the novel but for two different purposes. The first one is a review by Bill Jackson written as an article on The Tech of MIT, volume 111, number 18, page 1. In this article retrieved from www-tech.mit.edu/V111/N18/jackso.18o.html, Bill Jackson did not merely talk or criticize the novel’s harsh content but emphasized more on the values that the author (Ellis) wants to share about the phenomena taking place in the 1980s along with its people’s misleading behaviors.

  Ellis wrote American Psycho to get attention, and he got it. I've never read one of his novels before and probably never will again. It is not a great novel by any standard, but it is occasionally very funny, sometimes quite repugnant, and manages to make a weak but definite point about the 80s. It is a black comedy played to extremes, that is all, and the publication of

  American Psycho will not bring down the pillars of American society. To

  paraphrase Alfred Hitchcock, relax. It's only a book. (1991: 1) This article implies several important aspects of the novel including the one mentioned in the previous chapter that it “make(s) a weak but definite point about the 80s”, showing that the character shows certain characteristics of the society at that time. It also provides a new perspective to the people who are interested in this novel, whether they have read it or not, that it has something more than just violent sex and murder or any other inappropriate behaviors the author describes.

  8 Another study on the novel was done by Vartan P. Messier for his thesis for the degree of Master of Arts in English Education in the University of Puerto

  Rico, in 2004. In his thesis entitled “Canons of Transgression: Shock, Scandal, and Subversion from Matthew Lewis’ The Monk to Bret Easton Ellis’ American

  

Psycho ”, retrieved from http://grad.uprm.edu/tesis/messiervartan.pdf, Messier

  used American Psycho as a subject of ‘transgressive’ texts, which are literary works that “question ruling conventions by shocking their audiences and arousing controversy” (Messier, 2004: 5). He discussed the novel mainly on the last chapter (Chapter 4, Pornography and Violence: The Dialectics of Transgression in Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho) dealing exclusively with the reception and interpretation of the novel while analyzing various controversial passages and its wide reputation as a satire towards consumer capitalism. The thesis also discussed the debate concerning its literary claims.

  However, these works, although having mentioned that the novel is satiric towards particular aspects, none of them mention specifically which element used to make a point on the decade and what behaviors of the society that it satirizes. Thus since those elements are essential in the novel’s reputation as a satiric novel, it is important to have those certain issues studied, which is exactly what is going to be done in this thesis.

  9

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theories on Characters and Characterizations

  Character, according to Abrams is the person “presented in a dramatic or narrative work … interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say - the dialogue and by what they do - the action” (1993: 23). While according to Holman and Harmon, a character is a complicated term including the idea of moral constitution of human personality, the moral uprightness, and the presence of creatures in works of art which seem to be human in one way or the other (1986: 81). From these sources it can be restated that character is a complicated term in literary works which has the idea of moral constitution in human’s personality and having moral uprightness which the readers interpret as having the qualities of human expressed in what they say or do.

  Furthermore, a character may be flat or having only a single idea or quality without much detail. It can also be round, which means that it has more complex characteristics as a real life person. A character may also be static, experiencing only slight changes in the plot, or dynamic, influenced by actions and experiences and used to reveal the consequences of his or her actions (Holman-Harmon, 1986: 24).

  Characterization is the way in which the author reveals or creates the characters in his/her work, making them ‘alive’ for the reader (Holman-Harmon, 1986: 81). In his book Holman and Harmon stated that there are three fundamental methods of characterization in fiction. First, the explicit presentation

  10 by the author, second, the character’s own presentation in action without any comment from the author, and last the representation from within a character of the impact of certain events towards the character’s inner self, also without any interference from the author (1986: 81).

  Meanwhile M.J. Murphy explained that there are nine ways of how an author makes his character understandable for the reader. Sometimes not all of the steps are used by authors to show their characters’ characteristics. However some of them must exist. Those nine steps are described as follows.

  a.

  Personal Description The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes in details so that the readers will be able to figure the personality of the character based on his or her appearance.

  b.

  Character as seen by another Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another character in the novel.

  c.

  Speech The author can give us an insight into the characteristics of one of the characters in the book through what that person says.

  d.

  Past Life By letting the readers learn something about a person’s past life the author can give us a clue to events that helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.

  11 e.

  Conversation of others The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him.

  f.

  Reactions The author can give us a clue in a person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events.

  g.

  Direct comment The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly through the narration, especially in third-person narration.

  h.

  Thoughts The author can give us direct knowledge of what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking told by the omniscient narrator. i.

  Mannerisms The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits of idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about his character (1972: 161-173).

  Based on these characterizations, the characteristics of Patrick Bateman were revealed to understand further the hidden message or satire expressed through Bateman’s characteristics.

2. Theory on Representation

  According to Andrew Gibson, in his book Towards a Postmodern Theory of

  

Narrative, there are two kinds of representation, surface and depths

  representation. ‘Surface representation’ is “a realism of particulars (which) views

  12 language as un-problematically adequate to what it represents (and) thinks of representation as an individual phenomena … a movement over or an experience of surfaces”. Surface representation gives primary concern to the visible aspects. Meanwhile representation of the depths or ‘depth representation’ means penetrating the visible to what is “supposedly secretes or embodies and capturing the distilled essence and saturating language in it” (1996, pp. 81 - 82).

  In Peter Barry’s Beginning Theory: An introduction to literary and cultural

  

theory, representation, or in the book known by the name sign, needs to undergo a

  series of steps before reaching its present stage of emptiness. First, it represents a basic reality. Second, it misrepresents the reality behind it. Third, it disguises the fact that there is no corresponding reality underneath the representation. Fourth and the last stage is that it bears no relation at all to any reality (2002, pp. 87-88).

3. Theory on Satire

  Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to Literature defined satire as “a literary manner that blends a critical attitude with humor and wit for the purpose of improving human institutions or humanity” (1986: 447). Meanwhile, as stated in A Glossary of Literary Terms, according to M.H. Abrams satire is “the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation” which “uses laughter as a weapon” (1993: 187) against individual, institution or others which exist outside the satiric work itself. However, in some satires the laughter evoked is not such which is hilarious or amusing, but it can also be silent laughter in the

  13 form of dark humor. Moreover other than making something ridiculous, a literary work can also satirize a certain thing by exaggerating it beyond the normal condition.

  Seen from the etymology, the word ‘satire’ means “a dish filled with mixed fruits”, which can be referred to as a medley or combination (Holman-Harmon, 1986: 448). In their book, Holman and Harmon also wrote the division of satire by critics into two major types, formal or direct satire and indirect satire. In the direct satire the satiric voice speaks directly in the first person towards the reader or the character(s) in the novel which represents the one(s) satirized by the work.

  Meanwhile the indirect satire is revealed through a narrative in which the characters ridicule themselves through what they say or do (1986: 448).

  The formal satire is again divided into two types, namely: Horatian satire, which is gentle, urbane, smiling and gives correction through gentle and sympathetic laughter, and Juvenalian satire which is biting, bitter and angry, showing the corruption and evil of human or institutions with contempt and moral indignation.

  The indirect satire on the other hand only has one principal form, the Menippean satire (Holman-Harmon, 1986: 448). This form according to Abrams is sometimes called Varronian satire which is usually “written in prose, usually with interpolation of verse, and constitute a miscellaneous form often held together by a loosely constructed narrative (with the) major feature a series of extended dialogues and debates … to make ludicrous the attitudes and viewpoints they typify by (using) arguments” (1993: 188-189).

  14 Satire is concerned with ethical reforms and attacks corrupt institutions or individual. However, a satire does not directly condemn the specific persona but more on the deeds or misbehaviors conducted by certain types of people. It also brings laughter to wrap the condemnation in order to bring social pressure on people who are still doing the corrupt vices while still protecting the satirists. A satire is very implicit and it also assumes that the reader can pick up the moral values within it. Another important characteristic of a satire was pointed out by Dr. Philip Mitchell, as retrieved from http:/www.dbu.edu/mitchell/satire1.htm that a satire is witty, ironic and often exaggerated, using extremes to show danger happening in the society due to the follies done by the people.

  In essence, satire in this thesis is understood as a genre of literary work which uses laughter, comedy, and other aspects of accentuating the “human follies and foibles”. The satire is used with a purpose of criticizing and correcting certain issues by using laughter as a weapon to expose the follies of individual, institutions or human beings with the purpose to correct those follies without any direct attack on specific persons.

4. Theory on Consumption

  In the world where money is a huge issue to be dealt with, spending money still remains uneasy and not so simple to be discussed. The discussion on how people spend their money is far from easy and even quite controversial. This is due to the widely accepted understanding that how people spend their money is their own private business and therefore should not be interfered by anyone and in

  15 any forms. However, other people can be involved and therefore having the right to interfere with how people spend their money. In The American Social System, one example shown by Queen, Chamber and Winston is when someone “choose[s] to spend a portion of [his] funds on narcotics, [his] spouse and children would have a legitimate concern, as would the police” (1956: 183).

  Related to the previous paragraph, the meaning of consumption itself, according to Queen et al, is “the amount [of money] people spend on things that are then used up” (1956:184). In their book, they explain that consumption and its results have become an important thing in the societies of the United States.

  Consumption, the amount of money people spend and the things they spend their money on, has become a way to distinguish one person from another as a symbol of status. Such condition is caused by the lack of devices that are used to show someone’s status in the society, such as titles (Your Highness, King, Princess, etc.) or castes which exist in other societies.

  In relation to the use of consumption as a symbol of status, another term emerges. This term is “conspicuous consumption” which means “the using of goods and services for the demonstration of the owner’s superior economic and social status” (Queen et al, 1956: 190).

5. Theories on Morality

  There are several understandings found on morality which are actually based on the same idea. Thomas English Hill, in Contemporary English Theories, wrote the definition of morality by Warner Fite, who is one of “the most suggestive of

  16 contemporary moralists” (1959:177). Fite, as quoted by Hill, gives us the understanding of morality as “the self-conscious living of a life” (1959:178).

  Meanwhile, according to Poespoprodjo, morality is the quality in humans’ deeds by which human beings can judge something as being right or wrong, good or bad. Morality includes also the understanding on whether or not humans’ behavior or actions are good (1986:102).

C. Review on the United States of America in the 1980s

  The 1980s was a time which brought several important events in American history. At that time the ‘yuppie’ was introduced to English referring to Young Urban Professionals which was well publicized as a new middle class among the upper economic strata. According to Peggy Whitley, as retrieved from

   , college graduates at that time have

  more prestigious jobs at their late 20s and 30s, giving them more power to purchase trendy and luxurious items. Also retrieved from the same source, a 1980 study by UCLA and American Council on Education indicated that college freshmen were more interested in status, power and money than ever before, making Business Management the most popular major at that time. According to the information that is retrieved from

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usa#General_situation , from the economic side the

  New York City was the center of American financial, publishing, broadcasting and advertising industries. In addition the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street was representing the status of America as a major global financial

  17 marketplace. In the 1980s, economy was the major concern. Anything and everything related to money became an important issue to be discussed and noticed. The gap between the rich and the poor was also really wide, making social awareness a major issue. Such issue according to Henretta et al, was due to the economic and tax policies during Reagan’s administration or commonly known as ‘Reaganomics’. The money tightening in Reagan’s era also brought the American into ‘Reagan’s Recession’ in 1981-1982 which “threw some 10 million Americans out of work” (1999: 893). Therefore, in this decade great attention was given to those having wealth and status, causing Forbes’ list of 400 richest people more important than its list of 500 largest companies. Figures like Donald trump, who is a very wealthy and successful businessman in America, became an icon for the rise and fall of the rich, causing them to be both idolized and envied.

  Still related to monetary issue, binge-buying and credit became a lifestyle and the slogan ‘Shop till you drop’ actually became the slogan of the society.

  Labels in this decade were everything. The labels were even considered as being more important than the products. In this decade the Young Urban Professionals or simply known as the yuppies were made as examples of greed and great consumerism.

  Apart from the monetary issues, in 1981 AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was first recognized by physicians with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) identified as the cause (Henretta et al, 1999:908). As retrieved from , since AIDS was detected in a group of homosexual men and perceived as a “gay disease”, the hatred on

  18 homosexuals increased. Such hatred and oppositions against homosexuals were due to the opinion that “gay rights threatened America’s traditional values” (Henretta et al, 1999: 908). The hatred was intense, even though, according to a Yale study, the tabloid talk show genre provided media visibility for gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and transgender people to enter the mainstream culture and making gay community receives popular exposure.

  Also retrieved from previous online source, Crack Cocaine became an epidemic in urban areas, which made crime and drug trafficking reached a record level in most American cities. According to the data retrieved from , through a survey performed by NHSDA (National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) it is known that the percentage of people between the ages of 12 and older in the 1980s, who have used drugs at least once in a lifetime, is 34.4%. This percentage is the highest among the results from 1979 – 1990. However, alcohol and drug awareness and education increased in this decade, bringing various campaigns and movements against alcohol and drug.

  Power dressing was ‘in’ on this decade as a result of the increased tendency to display the people’s health. Therefore, brand names became increasingly important with popular names such as Ralph Lauren, Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis and Donna Karan the household names as designers of the 80s. As pointed out by Peggy Whitley in image was more important than reality in the 80s, signaled by the rapid popularity of tanning salon. Such statement is also supported by Henretta et al stating that

  19 “image was everything in the 1980s and 1990s” which pointed to some highly influential people, “even to President Reagan” (1999: 909).

  According to information retrieved from video-cassette was increasingly popular, and in 1981 VCR sales rose up to 72% in 12 months. This widespread of VHS popularity made the rise of video rentals easy. TV innovations and trends included anti-family sitcoms, tabloid TV shows and infotainments. Talk shows on TV also became part of the people’s daily lives.

  This is supported also by the fact that “more Americans had television sets in 1980 than had modern plumbing”. Moreover, those television sets “were turned on an average seven times a day” (Blum et al, 1985: 910). However social issues related to health were also an important focus.