Perspectives

Literary perspectives

The text “Killing Child at Zoo” by Bret Easton Ellis fits the literary movement called postmodernism. In “Killing Child at Zoo”, Ellis explores the themes of antisocial personalities, disconnection, and senseless violence. These themes help Ellis create the context of a chaotic, violent society, a topic that can often be found in postmodern works.

In terms of postmodernist narrative techniques, the text uses a narrator with a subjective perspective, focusing on the main character’s interpretation of his own emotions and his surroundings. The main character’s inner conflict is also never resolved, and the text does not express a clear message or draw a final conclusion, leaving readers to interpret the details in the text to understand its deeper meanings. 

Furthermore, it is never made completely clear whether Patrick truly commits the disturbing acts he describes, or whether it is all a part of his twisted i...