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Ryan Kabrick

New Member
Hello,

I am currently in the process of cultivating data for an upcoming thesis paper I have due. I plan to center this paper around the idea of empathy. I am particularly fascinated with empathy as it is intriguing to know how or why we are so driven to be able to "feel" for our fellow man. A large part of this paper is going to be focused around how a reader or viewer who is societally defined as "normal" able to empathize with criminally abnormal behavior. I initially began asking myself this question while reading Thomas Harris's, The Red Dragon; I found myself feeling sorry for Francis Dollarhyde (The killer), while Harris divulged information about his less than fortunate upbringing. I wish to explore the physiology and psychology behind how I, someone who hasn't so much as thrown a punch in my life, can feel sorry for such a monster.

To the point of my question... I am looking for another book where I could highlight an example of a character who embodies the essence of this question. I have been told to read Silence of the Lambs, but I do not feel my paper would be as strong if I cited two books from the same author. To give you a glimpse at my favorite type of material here are a few titles:

The Red Dragon : Thomas Harris
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest : Ken Kesey
The Shack : William P. Young
Shutter Island : Dennis Lehane
And perhaps my favorite story of all time : Breaking Bad

I'm looking for some type of thriller; whether it be more drama-based, like breaking bad, or horror... killers... I really do not care. Please recommend any books you can think of that will aid my research and also keep me entertained. Thank you so much in advance!
 
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