Has anyone here seen the movie American Psycho? If not, and you've just finished watching the trailer, (hint, give the video a quick peek!) then you might be wondering what it has to do with A Farewell to Arms.
First of all, the protagonist of both stories are obsessed with sex. Frederic's journeys to brothels is evidence enough of that, as well as his obvious game with Catherine. Patrick Bateman, the main character in AP, has a frequent habit of picking up prostitutes and taking them back to his hotel. Unlike Frederic, he kills them when he's had his fun (see: blonde with awful fringe in movie trailer).
Secondly, both characters are monotonous and emotionless. At the beginning of AP, Patrick goes on a monologue saying that he wears a constant mask. Being a serial killer, I'm not surprised that he has no compassion whatsoever. He says that he'll shake his hand and make you feel like your lives are comparable, but he simply isn't there. Frederic does show a little bit of this when he refers to the war as a "show", as well as his empty and cold narration style.
I'm not trying to say Frederic is a serial killer. However, his slight fascination and joy from the deaths resulting in war are a bit alarming. When he says things like that, I can't help but think back to this movie. I've heard a lot about people with murderous thoughts/behaviors going off to war as an outlet. I thought for a bit that maybe Frederic has a hidden affinity for death and destruction. Then again, I haven't gotten through a lot of the book yet.
If you've seen the movie, let me know what you think. If you haven't, and you plan to, keep your parents AWAY. It's a really twisted film. Seriously.
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