I need a topic for my paper and I have no idea what to write about Please help fast!?

Question

Description
This project entails three essential objectives:
1). That you engage a phenomenon (an event, movie, individual, television show, consumer object, etc) as enmeshed in American culture,
2). That your analysis shows some insight into American (popular) culture and the representation of city/suburban life (broadly defined),
3). That you present your analysis/argument with insight and creativity.
Invention
Think about the audience you've chosen to address and about what impact you want to have. Imagine them as a friendly but skeptical audience, willing to be persuaded by a reasonable argument about a cultural representation of city and/or suburban life. Perhaps they are familiar with the topic or image you have selected but less conscious of its implications than they realize. Can you show them new connections and interpretations? Can you give them a new perspective? For starters, you may want to consider how many television shows and movies are situated, say, in New York City. Or, conversely, how many are not situated in, say, Detroit or East St. Louis. Or, perhaps you might want to consider how the city (or suburb) takes on a “life” of its own as a character in and of itself (think “Sex and the City” or “Madmen” for example).
Your project might take a form similar to some of our former projects. For instance, you might decide to argue for the negative or positive qualities of some cultural condition or cultural practice, in which case you are writing an evaluation. Or, you might decide to create a new category or redefine a category or genre of pop culture, in which case you are writing a definition. Like our first two projects, this one is an analysis and you'll likely be borrowing from that experience as well.
Next, gather information about your subject. What aspects of an American mythology or cultural mores are the audience asked to identify with, and how are its characteristics embodied in the topic? What do most people seem to think about the topic? What else might it mean? Try to remain open as you gather more information about your subject: consider its parts; look at details; compare a variety of examples of it; look for evidence about the causes and effects of images; consider contrasts too. Think also about similar practices or artifacts in the culture and common factors that might account for them as well. Then, think about how this information can help you shape a thesis—an interpretation you wish to argue.

I don't understand what she wants from this paper or even what topic to use please help!

Answer 1

Well, that is definitely a daunting explanation your professor handed you! But if you're stuck doing it ...

The first aspect (that comes to my mind) of American culture that could satisfy the three sub-assignments is the ease with which guns can be had. The gun, the quintessential American consumer object.



Another might be the social phenomenon of News as Entertainment in an image-is-all society.



A third might be the popularity of Sarah Palin. I mean she wrote a book on herself; you might be able to come up some reasons why she is less popular in the cities than on the plane.



And here's something really good enmeshed in American culture - The Simpsons, an example of how Americans can laugh at their own shortcomings and foibles portrayed in a format of non-stop creativity.



Hope that helps. Good luck.

Answer 2

I think a movie like Napoleon Dynamite could work for this - you just have to look really closely and critically at it. The character who comes from the city on a bus introduces everything that motivates a positive outcome in the movie. Urban and Hip Hop culture give Napoleon the dance moves that win him instant popularity and acceptance. There are other examples, just watch the movie again and ask yourself what changes in the individual character's lives and the life of the town after LaFawndah arrives.



Detroit is LaFawndah's home city...you could look at what cultural contributions have come from Detroit...one huge one rhymes with "Gotown".



Napoleon's family is probably lower middle class if not lower lower middle class, and rural to boot. How often are poor white families portrayed in popular films? About 10 years ago there was quite a vogue/ trend in making light of "white trash" - fashion designers borrowed from stereotypes like terry-cloth short-shorts or press-on nails; it was cool to have 'white trash parties' where you would serve appetizers like cheez whiz on a ritz cracker or Tang...anything gawdy or cheap was 'cool' - it was sort of a sub-set of the whole Vintage/ Retro fascination. I think Napoleon Dynamite appealed to the same hipster sensibility.



I hope this is inspiring or useful for you. And I especially hope your paper's not due like, tomorrow or anything :)

Answer 3

Try and write a paper about famous and lesser known directors. Talk about what interested them, their directing history and what you have to go through to become a director.

Answer 4

aspects positives for television