Journal #14: Reasons for Banning American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

[Renee Stein]

The biggest opposer of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is the National Organization for Women or NOW. They see the book as being misogynistic. I can understand their reasoning for seeing it that way even though the author has said numerous times that he doesn't hate women. In the book, Patrick Bateman sees women as "hardbodies" and that a woman with a good personality and hot looks does not exist. He also murders many woman and then cannibalizes their bodies. At one point he goes so far as to put a live rat up the vagina of a living woman.
The other organization that opposes the book is the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC). They believe the book is inapporiate for anyone under the age of 18 to read. Therefore in Australia the only way to buy the book or check it out from a library is to show an ID that states that you are over the age of 18. It is sold shrink wrapped and behind the counter so that noone under the age of 18 reads it. They believe the drug use and foul language is not for a youngster. The descriptive murder and sex scenes in the book add to the way the OFLC feels about the book.