by No Single Name

Created on: April 21, 2009

While not the newest trend in literature, transgressive fiction has been recently growing in prominence. A genre of literary fiction focusing on characters confined by society's norms and mores, most transgressive works explore the unusual, sometimes criminal ways said characters free themselves. The protagonists are typically society's deviants: the mentally ill, the drug-addicted, the criminals. Themes in transgressive fiction can be extreme, from serial killing to pedophilia.

Some people find transgressive work to be in poor taste, but others can look beyond the sadistic behaviors and draw out an important theme. With authors spanning generations, there is a large amount of stand-out classics of the genre; for those interested in getting a taste of transgressive fiction, there are a few strong titles which give a feel for the literary movement.

5. American Psycho

Following roughly three years in the life of investment banker Patrick Bateman, American Psycho is a controversial book exploring the meaning and worth of society's mores. Pill-popping and hallucinating, Bateman spends his free nights as a serial killer, the book's descriptions becoming progressively more and more stomach-churning as he falls deeper into the pit of madness. Though at times tedious and hard to follow, this book makes a great starting point for anyone interested in the genre; and the closer you get to the end, the more you feel compelled to finish.

4. Lolita

Written long before the label transgressive' came into effect and causing an uproar upon publication, Lolita has gained a certain measure of infamy for its depiction of pedophilia through the eyes of Humbert Humbert. Narcissistic and extremely unreliable, Humbert chronicles his infatuation with the Nymphet Dolores "Lolita" Haze from a jail cell. Their cross-country affair is as disturbing as it is beautifully-written, a true classic novel.

3. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Though not fiction per se, Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing is a hilarious look into American drug culture, and a grim testament to the death of the American Dream. Opening with a drive through the desert in a red convertible packed with drugs, Fear and Loathing follows Thompson and his attorney as they stumble through Las Vegas
in search of a story for a magazine and the American Dream. Its style of Gonzo journalism (fiction blurred with fact) leads many to consider it a fit for the genre of transgressive fiction.

2. Fight Club

The most contemporary piece in the

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