THE ANALYSIS REVEALED NO LONG TERM TREND. HOWEVER, FICTIONAL VIOLENCE TENDED TO INCREASE IN WARTIME AND TO DECREASE DURING PERIODS OF ECONOMIC DEPRESSION. ALMOST ALL THE BOOKS SAMPLED HAD ONE OR MORE VIOLENT EPISODES, WITH A MEAN OF 2.1 VIOLENT ACTS PER 15 PAGES. MOST OF THE INITIATORS AND RECIPIENTS OF VIOLENCE WERE WHITE, MALE ADULTS IN A NON-FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF WOMEN AGGRESSORS OVER THE 120 YEAR PERIOD. THE IMPLICIT MESSAGE COMMUNICATED DEFINES AND LABELS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AS AN APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTAL ACT AND LAYS OUT THE VOCABULARY OF MOTIVE AND THE SCRIPT FOR VIOLENCE IN A FORM WHICH CAN BE LEARNED BY THE NEXT GENERATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)