Ricardo Jaimes

Instructor: Gretchen Pratt

UWRT 1102
March 19th, 2015
DexterA Killer to Root For
Over the span of a few monthsokay, maybe closer to just oneI stayed up late, eyes
glued to a television screen, watching episode after episode of the show Dexter, attempting to
finish the entire series. Although this can be normal for me, I did feel strangely fascinated with
the concept. Compared to a sane member of society, I felt as though it was strange to enjoy
watching the life of a serial killeror even worse, encourage his killings or feel good about
them. But honestly, there is reason to my feelings. Dexter puts a twist on the way we would view
a serial killer. The show focuses on our protagonist, Dexter, who is a serial killer. However,
unlike other serial killers, he follows a code. He only kills other killerspeople deemed unfit for
society (Dexter). At times, I often asked myself, Why do I feel this way towards Dexter? In
general, how does Dexter change our view on serial killers, even if its only within the bounds of
that show?
The Dark Hero
Dexter is considered an anti-herohe is by no means conventional. He does, however,
clearly demonstrate justice and good morals. Ashley M. Donnelly says, Dexters character
actually reinforces conservative ideals of morality, offering a clear differential between good
and bad violence (2). In this case, we have Dexter using violence to punish those who have

done wrong. In contrast, the ones being punished use violence on the innocent. This is the clear
distinction between them. It represents vigilantismsomething that is quite celebrated in
American culture today. For example, you can tell by the popularity in superhero movies. We
promote the idea of a citizen stepping up against crime, even if violence is involved. The only
big difference in your average superheros sense of morality and Dexters morality is where we
draw the line on punishment. Dexter doesnt just defeat the villains and sends them to jail. He
actually does quite the opposite. He sometimes prevents them from going to jail so he can
instead murder them to satisfy his urges. However, we still praise him.
Dexters motivation is what sets him apart from other serial killers. Its the reason he is
considered an anti-hero. Opposed to the motives of most serial killers which include
psychological gratification, Dexters motive includes more moral. the moral code by which
he dictates his own actions helps to establish a clear line between acceptable and
unacceptable deviance. For example, child molestation and the murder of innocence are
Unacceptable to Dexter, and thus his vengeancethe torture, murder, and dismemberment of the
perpetrator, is Acceptable as his behavior perpetuates a clear moral ideology. (Donnelly 23).
Dexters idea of right and wrong, for the most part, reflect our own. This is why we often find
ourselves agreeing with his murders. I often found myself thinking things like, Well, they
deserve it or The world is better off without them.
Defining Justice
After watching the show, I do consider Dexter as somewhat of a superhero, vigilante. His
values and ideologies are close to what I hold true. What makes Dexters sense of justice so
popular is that it agrees with what most of American culture deems right and wrong. Victoria L.
Smith writes, These contemporary serial killers and superheroes are signs of American culture's

anxiety about what gets to count as justice and what gets to count as revenge, and what is
acceptable in a world where the correct moral and ethical behavior lies firmly mired in a grey
zone. His character is considered very intelligent; although, deceiving. During my time
watching Dexter, my opinions on murder slightly changed. It brought into perspective the weight
that the murders carried, and the motivations of the people he murdered. This is not to say that I
approve of murdering someone because they have done wrong. However, Dexter showed that
villains will never change, and that the world could possibly do better without some of these
people.
A Killer with Reason
Another reason we find ourselves siding with Dexter could be we better understand him
and his reasoning behind his urges. At a young age, Dexter witnessed his mother brutally
murdered in front of him. This is what the audience comes to understand as the reason for
Dexters psychological differences. This is what made him the way he his. It almost creates a
feeling of sympathy. This is what separates him from us, and this is what makes him different.
Ashley M. Donnelly describes him as an other from our point of view. Our love for the
deviant other can only last if he or she kills them and not usthat is, our recognized
acceptance of the Other must further perpetuate our ideologies of right and wrong and
maintain our security within our parameters of normalcy. In short, since Dexter only kills
villains opposed to killing just anyone, we have grown tolerant despite him being a killer.