4:00-5:15p TR
The myth of the American Dream is a story of success. Whether one is
an American or a visitor here, one cannot help but note that, in
America, success–the culmination of the dream–is not just a hope; it's
an expectation. Yet not everyone can succeed, and for those who do not
the American lexicon has a particular term: loser. In this class, we
will explore the underbelly of the American Dream, interrogate the
preconceptions and assumptions that underlie the American idea of
success, and question how or why someone might "lose." We will read,
listen to, and view American cultural products that suggest
representations of "the loser" or "loserhood." We will pay special
attention to works that feature groups who have often been called, or
called themselves, losers. Through reading, writing, and discussion,
we will examine what it means when we call ourselves and others
"losers," and ask a number of questions. What have losers "lost"? How
do we look at the non-succeeders in a decidedly success-driven
culture? What do we think success is?