American Psycho

“He’s the boy next door. That’s Patrick.”

Evelyn says this about Bateman during her dinner party at the novel’s start. On one hand this is a glib cliché, reflecting Evelyn’s superficiality. However, it also highlights a total ignorance of who Bateman is and the horrific nature of his desires and feelings.

“Suddenly the restaurant seems far away, hushed, the noise distant, a meaningless hum, compared to this card.”

Bateman tries to impress his colleagues with his expensive new business cards. Yet Price, whose card is even better, outdoes him. This provokes an intense jealousy and rage in Bateman, reflecting his obsession with masculine competition.

“I can’t help noticing that one knee is, admittedly, bigger than the other one.”

Bateman sees an attractive woman in the club they visit. However, Price points out her legs. Bateman notices a minor flaw in her appearance and loses all interest in her. This demonstrates the extremely vapid and objectifying way Patrick and his colleagues have come to view women.