Wolverines, Werewolves and Demon Dogs:Animality, Criminality and Classification in James Ellroy’s L.A. Quartet

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Ashman, Nathan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4065-6253 (2022) Wolverines, Werewolves and Demon Dogs:Animality, Criminality and Classification in James Ellroy’s L.A. Quartet. In: Animals in Detective Fiction. Palgrave Studies in Animals and Literature (PSAAL) . Springer, pp. 65-82. ISBN 978-3-031-09241-1

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Abstract

James Ellroy’s L.A. Quartet offers a vivid tapestry of literal and symbolic beastliness. From the savage brutality of the “Wolverine Killer” in The Big Nowhere to the warped, ornithological mutilations of Loren Atherton in LA Confidential, Ellroy’s novels trace a potent convergence between animality and deviancy. This convergence becomes forcefully energised by rigid racial, sexual and political classifications, as manifestations of animality are repeatedly articulated via stark depictions of homosexuality, communism and “blackness”. Whilst the political dynamics of animality as a generic symbol of “otherness” are further solidified by the role actual animals play in Ellroy’s work, animals are, nonetheless, frequently situated as victims of monstrous human behaviours over the course of the Quartet, raising broader questions about human/animal binary. Through varying articulations of human/animal exploitation, the real villain of Ellroy’s work is a ruthless and detached post-war industrial culture that transforms both animal and human life into useable commodities.

Item Type: Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords: arts and humanities (miscellaneous),social sciences (miscellaneous),literature and literary theory ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1201
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Creative Writing Research Group
Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Modern and Contemporary Writing Research Group
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 10 Mar 2023 17:30
Last Modified: 15 Mar 2023 14:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/91458
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-09241-1_4

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