‘Petri dish of maladaptive behaviour' : queerness, shame, and violence in academia

Abstract

Through a thorough analysis of the novels The Secret History (1992) by Donna Tartt, If We Were Villains (2017) by M. L. Rio, and These Violent Delights (2020) by Micah Nemerever, this dissertation will examine the recurring thematic element of elitism in dark academia literature, as well as its role within the interplay of queerness and academic shame, eventually culminating in various forms of violence. Within an exploration of these key texts, this dissertation explores how exclusive academic environments exacerbate issues of identity, marginalisation, and internal conflict among queer individuals. By looking into the concept of elitism by outlining the characteristics of high academic standards, social exclusivity, and the cultural capital that defines the settings of these works of literature, this dissertation will establish a definition of the factors that foster harmful and self-destructive ideologies that plague academic settings, both in fiction and in reality. The focus will then shift to highlighting the intersection of queerness and academic shame through a close reading of the aforementioned central texts, analysing how these environments amplify the marginalisation and alienation of queer characters, leading to profound psychological distress and identity concealment on the part of said characters. Finally, this dissertation will conduct an examination of how the internalisation of academic and personal queer shame and the catalytic pressures of elitism manifest in psychological, physical, and interpersonal violence, as well as how these tie into the pre-established cultural expectations surrounding the portrayals of queer characters in media. These findings will be contextualised within broader literary and cultural studies, considering the systemic violence perpetuated by academic institutions and the critique of rigid, exclusive structures that these narratives provide.