METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"

This study examines the interplay of gender stereotypes in crime narratives through the lens of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. Flynn's novel challenges traditional portrayals of women in crime fiction, positioning them not merely as victims but as complex anti-heroines capable of orchestrating...

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Main Author: Soheila Farhani Nejad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: New Bulgarian University 2025-06-01
Series:English Studies at NBU
Subjects:
Online Access:https://esnbu.org/data/files/2025/esnbu.25.1.4.pdf
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author Soheila Farhani Nejad
author_facet Soheila Farhani Nejad
author_sort Soheila Farhani Nejad
collection DOAJ
description This study examines the interplay of gender stereotypes in crime narratives through the lens of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. Flynn's novel challenges traditional portrayals of women in crime fiction, positioning them not merely as victims but as complex anti-heroines capable of orchestrating elaborate criminal plots fueled by vengeance and psychological manipulation. The paper highlights the metafictional elements in Gone Girl, where the author employs self-conscious storytelling to critique societal expectations surrounding gender roles. By intertwining themes of media representation, domesticity, and the neoliberal notion of choice, the paper underscores how Flynn's narrative structure critiques the commodification of female identity and the performative aspects of gender roles and identity. Ultimately, the study posits that Flynn's work serves as a thought-provoking commentary on the power dynamics inherent in the representation of gender in contemporary media culture, revealing the complexities of identity as shaped by societal constructs.
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spelling doaj-art-65d8d2d96abe4556a25eae48f07c36382025-08-20T02:21:52ZengNew Bulgarian UniversityEnglish Studies at NBU2367-57052367-87042025-06-01111839410.33919/esnbu.25.1.4METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"Soheila Farhani Nejad0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8168-0703Arvand International Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abadan, IranThis study examines the interplay of gender stereotypes in crime narratives through the lens of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. Flynn's novel challenges traditional portrayals of women in crime fiction, positioning them not merely as victims but as complex anti-heroines capable of orchestrating elaborate criminal plots fueled by vengeance and psychological manipulation. The paper highlights the metafictional elements in Gone Girl, where the author employs self-conscious storytelling to critique societal expectations surrounding gender roles. By intertwining themes of media representation, domesticity, and the neoliberal notion of choice, the paper underscores how Flynn's narrative structure critiques the commodification of female identity and the performative aspects of gender roles and identity. Ultimately, the study posits that Flynn's work serves as a thought-provoking commentary on the power dynamics inherent in the representation of gender in contemporary media culture, revealing the complexities of identity as shaped by societal constructs.https://esnbu.org/data/files/2025/esnbu.25.1.4.pdfmetafictionidentityempowermentvictimizationgillian flynngone girl
spellingShingle Soheila Farhani Nejad
METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
English Studies at NBU
metafiction
identity
empowerment
victimization
gillian flynn
gone girl
title METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
title_full METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
title_fullStr METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
title_full_unstemmed METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
title_short METAFICTION AND REPRESENTATION OF GENDERED IDENTITY IN GILLIAN FLYNN'S "GONE GIRL"
title_sort metafiction and representation of gendered identity in gillian flynn s gone girl
topic metafiction
identity
empowerment
victimization
gillian flynn
gone girl
url https://esnbu.org/data/files/2025/esnbu.25.1.4.pdf
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