An Adolescent Murder Shaped by Toxic Masculinity:A Case Study of Adolescence (2025)
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Keywords
toxic masculinity, adolescent, British TV drama, parent-child relationship, peer culture, social media
Abstract
This paper examines how male adolescents are shaped by the culture of toxic masculinity embedded in family upbringing, peer culture, and social media, using the British television drama Adolescence (2025) as a case study. It centres on Jamie Miller, a thirteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate after she responds with contempt to his romantic confession. Rather than attributing Jamie’s crime solely to his personality flaws, the study interprets it as a product from the widespread culture of toxic masculinity in today’s society. Within the framework, the family serves as the root of the problem, reflected in the presence of an inadequate father figure, while distorted peer culture and social media act as powerful catalysts. At the same time, the failure of institutional oversight by the family, school, and wider society prevents the formation of an effective protective network that might otherwise have shielded thousands of “Jamies” from the influence of toxic masculine norms. By tracing these mechanisms, the paper contributes to ongoing debates about toxic masculinity in contemporary youth culture.
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