Cautionary tales for a culture of narcissism: A rhetorical analysis of 'Dangerous Liaisons' and 'American Beauty' (Stephen Frears, Sam Mendes).

摘要

This thesis addresses the view that narcissism in America is of great concern (Westen, 1959; Cawelti, 1965; Hougan, 1975; Lasch, 1979; Stern, 1979; Yankelovich, 1981; Jacoby, 1990; Downs, 1997). Examining two cultural artifacts, the films “Dangerous Liaisons” and “American Beauty,” this thesis examines the rhetorical representations of narcissism in the characters and maintains they present a cautionary tale to an American culture of narcissists who substitute image for character.; Constructs of personality and narcissism (Freud, 1953; 1960; 1961), presentation of self (Goffman, 1959), symbolic interaction (Blumer, 1969), and the oppositional proverb (Mieder & Dundes, 1981), serve as a foundation for the analysis of “Dangerous Liaisons” and “American Beauty,” and their establishment as cautionary tales.; The identification of narcissistic personality types mirrored by the characters in these films, and identification of the films as cautionary tales have significant implications for contemporary American society.