LFU:online

Institut für Amerikastudien Institut für Amerikastudien

Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Arno Heller Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Arno Heller

610011

Aspects of Violence in American Literature and Film

SE 2

wöch.

keine Angabe

Englisch

In his cultural studies classic _Regeneration Through Violence_ (1973) Richard Slotkin investigates individual and structural violence as one of the ever–recurring constants in American history and culture. In American literature in particular the thematization of violence has formed a long tradition from Charles Brockden Brown, James. F. Cooper, Stephen Crane, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Flannery O’Connor, Hubert Selby, and Bret Easton Ellis to the virtual explosion of fantasies of violence in contemporary popular culture and film. After a theoretical and cultural historical introduction to the theme a selection of relevant literary works will be analyzed and compared. In addition, the functions of violence in American film as well as Michael Moore’s documentary "Bowling for Columbine" will be investigated by a media work group in the SE. The following questions among many others will be asked along with the work analyses: Is the US particularly prone to solving problems and conflicts by violent means? If so, have the experience of the frontier, the conquest of wilderness, the confrontation with the Indians, or the long-standing tendency to take the law into one’s own hands contributed to this phenomenon? Are the high crime rates in American cities, or even the superpower’s readiness to wage wars, if seen necessary, results of this? And does the excessive presence of violence in American popular films answer to a widespread desire for imaginary violence and if so why?

Regular attendance and participation in the class discussions and group work; reading of the texts and viewing of the films in class; a 16-18 page paper in English in accordance with the MLA style sheet; a handout (2-3 pages); presentation of paper in class (20 minutes), also in cooperation with colleagues and in team groups; at least two appointments with SE leader, one before and one after the presentation in class.

written and oral

Students must have completed their "1. Studienabschnitt". For Film and Media Studies students must also have the "Introduction to Film Studies"
Beginn: 8.3.2007