Urbanism Typifying the Turn-of-the-Century American Way of Life in Franzen's "Strong Motion"

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2008 , 14 Pages , Grade: 1,7

American Studies - Literature

The present work is about urbanism and about how it is typifying the turn-of-the-century American way of life.
The first chapter of this term paper contains a plot synopsis on the novel Strong Motion by Jonathan Franzen depicting the main characters. The second chapter is about Post-modernism. It describes what the term means in fact. A main feature of our post-modern times are cities or urban regions. In the second chapter you will find an interpretation of their meaning and importance in relation to Post-modernism. After this rather general insight in the present urban spirit of the age I will proceed by pointing out passages from the novel Strong Motion that document facts about urbanism and Post-modernism, about certain features of Boston, the Boston area and about the way people live in these places. The topics are going to be gentrification, the quaternary sector, the widening gap between rich and poor, fast occurring changes, heterogeneity and cars. The conclusion will give an outlook on what we may have to expect in the future from urban regions in a globalized world.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• INTRODUCTION
• 1 PLOT SYNOPSIS
• 2 URBANISM AND POST-MODERNISM – DEFINING OUR TIMES
  • 2.1 Defining Post-modernism
  • 2.2 Urbanism during Post-modernism
• 3 LIFE IN THE CONTEMPORARY BOSTON AREA AS OUTLINED IN THE NOVEL STRONG MOTION
  • 3.1 Gentrification and Decentralization
  • 3.2 Cognitariat, Paraclass and the Quaternary Sector
  • 3.3 The Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor
  • 3.4 Fast Changes and Heterogeneity of Urban Population
  • 3.5 The Significance of Cars
• CONCLUSION

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This term paper aims to explore the relationship between urbanism and the American way of life at the turn of the 21st century. Using Jonathan Franzen's novel "Strong Motion" as a case study, the paper examines the impact of postmodernism on urban development and the social dynamics within contemporary urban regions.

• Postmodernism and its impact on urban development
• Gentrification and the changing urban landscape
• The rise of the "cognitariat" and the quaternary sector
• The widening gap between rich and poor in urban areas
• The role of cars in contemporary urban life

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The first chapter provides a plot synopsis of "Strong Motion," introducing the main characters and setting the stage for the exploration of urban themes. The second chapter delves into the concept of postmodernism, defining its key characteristics and exploring its relationship to urbanism. The third chapter focuses on the contemporary Boston area as depicted in the novel, examining specific aspects of urban life such as gentrification, the quaternary sector, the widening gap between rich and poor, rapid changes in the urban population, and the significance of cars.

Schlüsselwörter

The key themes and keywords of this text include postmodernism, urbanism, gentrification, the quaternary sector, the widening gap between rich and poor, the changing urban landscape, and the role of cars in contemporary urban life. The text explores these themes through the lens of Jonathan Franzen's novel "Strong Motion," providing insights into the social and economic dynamics of contemporary American cities.

• College: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (FTSK, Abteilung Anglistik, Amerikanistik und Anglophonie )
• Course: Graduate Seminar American Cities: The Urban Experience in Literary Texts and Translations
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Christiana Halsdorfer (Author)
• Publication Year: 2008
• Pages: 14
• Catalog Number: V146951
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640559848
• ISBN (Book): 9783640559961
• Language: English
• Tags: urbanism, American, USA, American way of life, Franzen, Jonathan Franzen, Strong Motion, postmodernism, post-postmodernism, turn-of-the-century