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Degree

Master of Arts, University of Akron, Communication, 2010.

Abstract

Within U.S. culture the image of the female killer has long been a subject of both curiosity and fascination. Popularly appearing in noir tales for generations and shocking the public whenever real-life murders involving a woman occurs, the female killer is a sensationalized idol that both entertains and frightens, yet is often misunderstood. Using ideological criticism, this thesis will analyze four films that feature female killers as their lead characters (Thelma and Louis, Basic Instinct, Monster, and Death Proof) to determine what common themes emerge among the films as well as how they reflect various worldviews that the U.S. culture has of the female killer. All four films upon their releases garnered controversy and have gained notice by critics and scholars alike for the portrayals of their female leads. Among particular interests will be how the female killer is portrayed in the movie, the relation of the female killer to her victims, and her background story or upbringing leading to the female killer's murders.

Subject Headings

Communication; Rhetoric

Keywords

Female killers; murder; film; cinema; movies; rhetoric; rhetorical; ideological criticism

Committee / Advisors

Dr. Mary Triece (Advisor)
Dr. Therese Lueck (Committee Member)
Dr. Kathleen Clark (Committee Member)

Pages

49p.

Document number: akron1289347404
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1289347404

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