Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


akron1289347404.pdf (483.38 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Women Who Kill: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Killers in Film

McCormack, Colin Fawcett
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1289347404

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, University of Akron, Communication.
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.
Mary Triece, Dr. (Advisor)
Therese Lueck, Dr. (Committee Member)
Kathleen Clark, Dr. (Committee Member)
49 p.
Communication; Rhetoric
Female killers; murder; film; cinema; movies; rhetoric; rhetorical; ideological criticism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • McCormack, C. F. (2010). Women Who Kill: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Killers in Film [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1289347404

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • McCormack, Colin. Women Who Kill: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Killers in Film. 2010. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1289347404.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • McCormack, Colin. "Women Who Kill: A Rhetorical Analysis of Female Killers in Film." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1289347404

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1289347404
4,549
© 2010, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.