Digital outrage and the ‘prison chronotope’

Abstract This study examines the expression of affect in online comments related to the Gabby Petito murder case, in particular how commenters express anger and outrage towards her fiancé and murderer Brian Laundrie. Using corpus analysis software, comments containing the 5-gram the rest of his life were analysed to understand how digital discourse frames narratives of justice and punishment for the perpetrator, Brian Laundrie. Using Appraisal Theory and Narrative Analysis, the study demonstrates how commenters co-construct a “prison chronotope” in which they imagine Laundrie’s life in prison as one of isolation, stagnation, violation, and mental torment. The analysis also showcases how the commenters conceive of the prison experience as being a fate worse than death. The prison chronotope allows commenters to co-construct a narrative of justice and retribution. The study contributes to understanding the role of narrative in expressions of emotion in online discourse, particularly in relation to serious social issues such as murder.