Cliques, Elites, and Other Monsters

Class and Monstrosity in Dark Academia Fiction

Abstract

This paper explores the intersections between Dark Academia and Horror regarding Class. By examining The Secret History (1992) by Donna Tartt and Bunny (2019) by Mona Awad, the study investigates how monstrosity functions as both a signifier of and a result of the detachment of elites from common morality. Exclusivity and intellectual elitism detach privileged individuals from conventional moral standards. This detachment fosters the creation of new, self-justified moral frameworks within these cliques, leading to a decline in ethical behaviour and the rise of manipulative practices under the guise of intellectualism. Parallels to Horror theory demonstrate how Dark Academia serves as a potent critique of these spaces, exposing their inherent moral decay and the dangers of unchecked privilege.