DECODING DEXTER: AN ANALYSIS OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE SERIAL KILLER by Erin Burns-Davies A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL August 2019 Copyright 2019 by Erin Burns-Davies ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Jane Caputi: Words fail to adequately express my gratitude for your participation as chair of my dissertation committee. Your scholarship, research suggestions, constructive criticism, patience, and belief in me were essential in making this manuscript a reality. I continue to be in awe of your work in ways that have not only influenced my writing but also my teaching. Dr. Marcella Munson: Your notes on my dissertation and feedback during my defense were critical in making the manuscript more polished and effective. Thank you for your participation on my dissertation committee. Dr. Christopher Robé: Thank you for your constructive criticism, particularly your insight into the connection between the horror genre and queer identity. I appreciate how your ideas have challenged and enhanced my work on this dissertation. My mother, Susan Burns-Davies: In your battle against cancer these last few years, you have been a model of bravery amidst hardship. Thank you for your many sacrifices and for seeing me to the end of this journey. I look forward to celebrating not only this achievement but also your renewed health and many years ahead with you by my side. Dr. Shireen Lalla: My sister, this project would not have been possible without your support. Not only were you helpful in reading over and offering constructive feedback on my chapters, you have been someone whose wisdom I have endlessly relied upon. iv Regardless of whether the advice was related to career, relationships, travel, entertaining, or fashion, you are someone whose opinion I have always respected. You are a treasure, and I am blessed to have you in my life. Leah Plocharczyk: You, too, are my sister. I am in awe of your intelligence and independence, and I strive to be more like you. Thank you for being such a positive force in my life and for being a reliable source of encouragement. Your thoughtfulness was especially appreciated as you helped to organize the Dexter tableau for my dissertation defense, making it an event I will fondly remember. Barry Liebowitz: Thank you, my love, for your many words of support as I finished the last leg of this journey. I appreciate the times you were a gentle study companion, holding my hand or patting my shoulder as I checked sources, revised chapters, and built slides for my defense Prezi. Dr. Anne Mulder: I am so grateful to have met you and to have had the opportunity to present in your classes. You are one of my academic heroes, and I was honored by your encouragement. Dr. Amanda Thibodeau: Thank you for always being available to listen and offer advice. Your sisterly kindness was a balm on stressful days. Marjetta Geerling: Thank you for your wit and humor. I greatly admire your writing ability and was motivated by your dedication to your work. Dr. Xiao Wang: Thank you for your radiance and positivity. You were always ready with a smile and encouragement throughout this process. v Gabby Denier: Thank you for your support throughout this process and especially during the dissertation defense. I am also immensely grateful to the Graduate College at Florida Atlantic University for providing formatting workshops as well as numerous templates and instructional videos. In particular, I want to thank Jonathan Bovinet for the generosity of his time in reviewing the formatting of this manuscript. And finally, I wish to recognize two dear departed women: my grandmother, Elvira Burns, and my surrogate mother, Nazzma Lalla. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you both. When good fortune or success comes my way, including the conclusion of this project, I am thankful for your blessing. vi ABSTRACT Author: Erin Burns-Davies Title: Decoding Dexter: An Analysis of America’s Favorite Serial Killer Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Jane Caputi Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2019 In an intersectional feminist analysis of Dexter in both the novels by Jeff Lindsay as well as the Showtime television series, this dissertation will explore the challenging but compelling nature of the serial killer as a pop culture icon, and address themes of gender and sexuality as well as class, ethnicity and regions as they are portrayed in the series. Dexter Morgan, on the Showtime series and in the novels, both exposes popular culture’s problematic identification with the serial killer and solidifies it by being a socially palatable anti-hero. vii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, Susan Burns-Davies, who has been a source of comfort and stability and who remains my dearest friend and confidante. Thank you, Mama, for your patience and faith in me, even when I was unworthy of it. I hope to always make you proud and to support you as you have supported me. Thank you also for being an example of moral courage and gentle strength. DECODING DEXTER: AN ANALYSIS OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE SERIAL KILLER LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1: DEXTER’S MIAMI: “IT’S SUCH A NEAT TOWN” .............................. 23 CHAPTER 2: HARRY’S SON: THE CONVENIENT CREATION OF DEXTER ........ 41 CHAPTER 3: AROUSING DEXTER: HEARTH, HOME AND HOMICIDE ............... 60 CHAPTER 4: MURDERABILIA FOR THE MASSES: DEXTER AS AN ADVERTISING COMMODITY................................................................................ 83 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 113 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 123 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Dexter and Little Chino ..................................................................................... 29 Figure 2. Dexter Season 1 Promotional Image ................................................................. 30 Figure 3. Dexter Season 6 DVD Cover ............................................................................ 31 Figure 4. Dexter Season 8 Promotional Image ................................................................. 32 Figure 5. Maria LaGuerta and Angel Batista .................................................................... 36 Figure 6. The Morgans ...................................................................................................... 44 Figure 7. Laura Moser and Rita Bennett ........................................................................... 49 Figure 8. The Dark Defender ............................................................................................ 50 Figure 9. Lila West with Dexter ....................................................................................... 51 Figure 10. Miguel Prado and Dexter ................................................................................. 54 Figure 11. Dexter and Cody .............................................................................................. 56 Figure 12. Born in Blood .................................................................................................. 58 Figure 13. Dr. Evelyn Vogel ............................................................................................. 63 Figure 14. Rita and Lila .................................................................................................... 74 Figure 15. Rita Before and After ...................................................................................... 75 Figure 16. Lumen Pierce ................................................................................................... 77 Figure 17. Dexter: Early Cuts ........................................................................................... 86 Figure 18. Dexter Down Under ........................................................................................ 88 Figure 19. Dexter: The Game ........................................................................................... 92 Figure 20. Dexter: The Game (Objectives)....................................................................... 93 x Figure 21. Dexter: Hidden Darkness ................................................................................ 94 Figure 22. Dexter: Slice .................................................................................................... 95 Figure 23. Dexter: The Board Game................................................................................. 97 Figure 24. Jeffrey Dahmer Victim Doll .......................................................................... 101 Figure 25. Dexter Dining Room ..................................................................................... 104 Figure 26. Fan-made Dexter Poster ................................................................................ 111 Figure 27. Dexter's Parade .............................................................................................. 112 xi INTRODUCTION “I am a very neat monster” (Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming 12). In this deceptively simple line, fictional serial