My Friend Dahmer

Consider the argument of Nature Versus Nurture in the context of the novel. Does Derf Backderf imply that nature or nurture was the root of Dahmer’s spiral down the path of serial killing? How does Backderf’s argument compare with your response to the Personal Connection Prompt?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to apply the theme of Nature Versus Nurture to the graphic novel. Backderf does not try to answer the question of why Dahmer committed his killings, nor whether or not his environment or genetics were more to blame for his desire to murder. Instead, he intertwines observations and key moments in Dahmer’s trajectory along with rhetorical questions regarding lack of adult supervision and institutional oversight. Depending on the level of the class, this Prompt works well as either an in-class discussion or a take-home assignment.