Children as Commodities in the American Suburban Home: Joyce Carol Oates’s Adaptation of the Ramsey Case in "My Sister, My Love"

Authors

  • Barbara Miceli University of Gdańsk

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.24.2.2

Keywords:

Joyce Carol Oates, children exploitation, Ramsey Case, American suburbs

Abstract

Joyce Carol Oates's My Sister, My Love is a fictional memoir inspired by the unsolved murder of JonBenét Ramsey. The novel, told from the perspective of the victim's brother, satirizes the exploitation of children in beauty pageants and the superficiality of suburban life. Through a counter-memory narrative, Oates sheds light on the hidden abuse endured by children, revealing the dark underbelly of a seemingly perfect family. The novel serves as a powerful critique of societal pressures and the devastating consequences for young victims.

Author Biography

Barbara Miceli, University of Gdańsk

Barbara Miceli is Assistant Professor in American Studies at the University of Gdańsk, Poland. Her main research interest is the relationship between fact and fiction in contemporary American literature and TV.

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Published

2024-12-22

How to Cite

Miceli, B. (2024). Children as Commodities in the American Suburban Home: Joyce Carol Oates’s Adaptation of the Ramsey Case in "My Sister, My Love". English Studies at NBU, 10(2), 247–263. https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.24.2.2

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Articles