JOURNAL ARTICLE ANALYSIS: DEXTER-- HERO AND SERIAL KILLER FOR THE MASSES

      I recently read an article written by Ashley Donnelly in the Journal of Popular Culture entitled, “The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses” (Donnelly, 2012).  She made the compelling argument that many of today’s contemporary anti-heroes such as the “loveable” serial killer, Dexter, is indicative of today’s need to have a vigilante type of hero that fulfills our traditional needs of justice.  In light of the events of 9/11, I tend to agree with her.       

            Why is the Showtime series, “Dexter,” watched by millions every week?  He clearly kills and dismembers at his discretion, for his own purposes.  Donnelly states that “Dexter” has fan pages on social media websites and an entire cottage industry of products that are wildly popular.  And let’s face it: Dexter is the epitome of a sociopath: “a person displaying anti-social behavior with a lack of empathy for others coupled with abnormal moral conduct” (Sociopath: Sociopathic Personality Disorder, 2011).  Dexter is certainly that—he kills amorally, but he also has an absolute code of right and wrong.  Dexter metes out punishment to those he feels have crossed accepted boundaries within our society. In turn, he consciously reinforces what is “good” and “bad” and delivers justice in our place.

            Donnelly states in typical horror genre, the “killer” was usually represented as a “malleable manifestation of social anxieties”, depending on what was occurring socially during a given era (Donnelly, 2012).  When one thinks of how the monster has typically been identified, it was clearly abnormally different than what a “normal” person, and therefore, could be easily identifiable.  Today, our social anxieties have radically changed since 9/11, because “abnormal” can look just like us.  It is that sense of collective uncertainty that has altered our perceptions of what a killer has traditionally been.  Dexter serves as American’s desire for unforgiving justice, and Donnelly aptly describes Dexter embodying the vigilantism we may subconsciously desire.  In short, we embrace Dexter simply because he is able to do what most of us will not: he delivers an absolute and deadly justice to those in our society who have committed wrong. 

            In summary, Dexter is a fascinating character, and one in which millions have identified with on some level.  Dexter serves as an anti-hero that has no moral center, but conforms to society at the same time.  We can identify and sympathize with Dexter because of his tragic past, and understand the reasons why he kills, and at times applaud him doing so. The majority of us will never be able to understand why someone would pilot planes into the World Trade Center, or be a suicide bomber on a bus full of innocent people.  The monster that we once could easily recognize is no longer certain.  Dexter, while clearly a monster, is “our monster” and he serves our desires for justice and revenge in today’s uncertain world.

References

Donnelly, A. (2012). The New American Hero: Dexter, Serial Killer for the Masses. Journal of Popular Culture, 45(1), 15-26. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00908.x

Sociopath: Sociopathic Personality Disorder. (2011). Retrieved from DepressionD.com: http://depressiond.com/