ENG 176 HUCLAMC A Single Man Novel Analysis & Locas Book Analysis Essay COURSE DESCRIPTION English 176 explores the culture of Los Angeles, with all its p

ENG 176 HUCLAMC A Single Man Novel Analysis & Locas Book Analysis Essay COURSE DESCRIPTION

English 176 explores the culture of Los Angeles, with all its pleasures and inconsistencies,complications and crimes, past and present. Our resources will be representative literature, film, and popular culture. It has been said that Los Angeles is the most photographed but least remembered city in America. Some even suggest that the glittering surfaces disguise a shallowdepth, or worse, an unexamined darkness. Yet the city remains a destination, a beacon fordreams, and a reservoir where millions recognize an unshakeable identity, grounded in amultitudinous history. So, what makes an Angeleno? What is the future of the City of Angels?

3 responses needed to be answered

1. Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man asks the reader to contemplate, among other things, the problems of isolation and grief, but also the regenerating effects of love. Which one of these human conditions does it address most effectively, in your opinion? The entirety of the novel takes places in one day. Why do you think Isherwood wrote the book this way? And do you think the ending was effective? Why or why not?

2. In this novel, Murray captures the complicated emotions and daily realities of Latina women of the East L.A. neighborhood of Echo Park, in the 80s and 90s. She also gives the readers a glimpse of what might be called a “gang life.” Does the depiction escape stereotypes? Why or why not? Why is the novel told from two points of view? Is that choice effective? Is this novel an effective feminist narrative? Explain.

3. The realities resulting from discrimination and societal inequities are interrogated in this Stand and Deliver 1988 movie (On reserve on Ares). Which character do you like or identify with the most? Does society still have differing expectations for different ethnic groups in Los Angeles? How can we celebrate diversity while also insisting on standards of excellence? Do you think we should focus primarily on self-esteem in our educations? If not, what focus is more effective? As you exit this class and continue your lives, I have one last question: Do students have a responsibility to challenge the perceptions of the previous generations?