The Devil Next Door : Toward a Literary and Psychological Definition of Human Evil

Rather than theoretical or abstract, above all else, this monograph endeavors to serve as a practical guide, a handbook for helping us navigate a dark terrain. It neither presumes to examine the sources of evil nor suggest radical cures. These pages strive only to continue the process of naming the signs of individual evil that we might recognize these persons before they inflict even more damage. Scott Peck says it best. "If evil were easy to recognize, identify, and manage, there would be no need for this book." Of course, he was referring to his own pioneering treatise; given the realities of our day, the need remains as great as ever. -- From publisher's website Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 7 Acknowledgements 9 Foreword 10 BOOK ONE: Friedrich Dürrenmatt's Der Verdacht 15 Chapter One: Victimization 16 Chapters Two and Three: Failure to Respect the Autonomy of Others and Their Depersonalization 66 Chapter Four: Narcissism 73 Chapter Five: Abuse of Power 76 Chapter Six: Scapegoating 81 Chapter Seven: Lying 86 Chapter Eight: Refusal to Heed Criticism 92 BOOK TWO: Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray 102 Chapter One: Victimization 103 Chapters Two and Three: Failure to Respect the Autonomy of Others and Their Depersonalization 113 Chapter Four: Narcissism 118 Chapter Five: Abuse of Power 140 Chapter Six: Scapegoating 146 Chapter Seven: Lying 157 Chapter Eight: Refusal to Heed Criticism 177 Afterword 186 Epilogue: A Literary and Psychological Paradigm of Group Evil: Max Frisch’s Andorra 191 Bibliography 198 Previous Publications 211 Content: Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgements Foreword BOOK ONE: Friedrich Dürrenmatt''s Der Verdacht Chapter One: Victimization Chapters Two and Three: Failure to Respect theAutonomy of Others and Their Depersonalization Chapter Four: Narcissism Chapter Five: Abuse of Power Chapter Six: Scapegoating Chapter Seven: Lying Chapter Eight: Refusal to Heed Criticism BOOK TWO: Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter One: Victimization Chapters Two and Three: Failure to Respect theAutonomy of Others and Their Depersonalization Chapter Four: Narcissism. Chapter Five: Abuse of PowerChapter Six: Scapegoating Chapter Seven: Lying Chapter Eight: Refusal to Heed Criticism Afterword Epilogue: A Literary and Psychological Paradigm of Group Evil:Max Frisch's Andorra Bibliography Previous Publications. This book provides an literary and psychological definition of human evil by analyzing Friedrich Durrenmatt's Der Verdacht and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray.