Keywords

Buffy the Vampire Slayer; sexual violence; violation; monster theory; feminist theory

Abstract

This research draws on feminist theory and monster theory to perform a close rhetorical analysis of incidents in the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Buffy) where female characters are violated physically, psychologically, and/or sexually. Buffy is one of the most-analyzed television shows of all time, with a particular emphasis on the show’s engagement with feminism; however, the issue of violation has received little scholarly investigation despite multiple instances of it within the show. Through examining the rhetorical elements (such as dialogue, camerawork, body language, and character response) that surround incidents of violation, this research reveals that Buffy uses a framework of monstrosity to exceptionalize violation and obfuscate the gender dynamics that produce it. This exceptionalization mimics cultural attitudes about sexual violence, using the supernatural image of the monster to literalize the notion of rapists and abusive men as outliers. These findings contribute to the necessary conversation surrounding how depictions of sexual and gender-based violence in the media respond to and shape the discourse around such violence.

Thesis Completion Year

2026

Thesis Completion Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair

Wheeler, Stephanie

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Writing and Rhetoric

Thesis Discipline

Writing and Rhetoric

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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