I’m working on a cultural studies writing question and need a sample draft to help me study.

In Civilization and Its Discontents Freud said: “Civilized man has exchanged some part of his chances of happiness for a measure of security.” As you watch the film, you will see that Pleasantville shows us a world that is certainly secure and some would say very civilized. Is it a utopia?

Freud would say that this world could exist only in fantasy. Why? Because the world of Pleasantville is absent those very same instinctual urges of sex and aggression Freud said were eradicable in the human psyche and caused such conflict for civilization. Hence, for Freud, a world like Pleasantville could happen only in a fantasy.

In the film as we are exposed to the world of Pleasantville, how are sex and aggression released? More importantly what part does libido play? Not just the sex drive aspect of libido, but Freud’s broadened version of libido that I described in my lecture as “the energy that drives us to have a purpose or meaning in life.” What effect does that libido have on the characters in Pleasantville?

Please note for the characters below:

1. What causes libido to be released in them? This is when they burst into color.

2. What are their lives like before libido?

3. What is their libido – “the energy that drives us to have a purpose or meaning in life.” What is that purpose or meaning for each character?

4. How have their lives change because of libido? For better? Is it always for the better?

Please explore four to five from this list:

The teenagers,

Bud and Mary Sue

Betty Parker

Bill Johnson

George Parker,

The mayor Big Bob

The town of Pleasantville itself.

5. Look at the end of the movie. Is libido worth it? See the three characters on the park bench; how will life be for them moving forward? Better? Worse?

Overall, are the characters and town at the end of the film really better off than they were at the beginning? Remember Freud’s quote again: “Civilized man has exchanged some part of his chances of happiness for a measure of security. Wasn’t life better, more secure when David and Jennifer first arrived in Pleasantville or not? Why?

This really forms the topic for your first essay in the course, so please watch carefully and take notes. You will need details for the essay.

Also, find five (5) quotes from the film to use in the essay. Please note what is happening in that particular scene, who is the speaker and who is being spoken to. Write these quotes down; you will use them in your essay.

Essays for DBRG 400 – Culture in Revolt – Fall 2020

Topic: See the one for each film and theory

Length: 5-7 pages, not including the title page and references page, double-spaced, 12pt font

DEADLINES: TO BE FAIR TO STUDENTS IN THE CLASS MY POLICY ON RECEIVING LATE ASSIGNMENTS IS MANDATORY AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION. TESTS, ESSAYS AND THE ORAL PRESENTATION ARE DUE BY THE DEADLINE SET IN CANVAS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT A SINGLE DAY IN A SINGLE SESSION FOR FALL 2020 REPRESENTS A WEEK IN THE NORMAL SIXTEEN WEEK SEMESTER. ANY ASSIGNMENTS SUBMITTED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL RECEIVE A MAXIMUM GRADE OF 50 POINTS. IF AN ASSIGNMENT IS NOT PASSED IN, IT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO. EXTENSIONS FOR ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE DEAN OF STUDENTS.THE PROFESSOR DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT EXTENSIONS.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE RULES GOVERNING LATE ASSIGNMENTS HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH ME BUT RATHER ARE A FAIRNESS ISSUE. ALL STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL TIME TO DO AND SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH OF COURSE AFFECTS THEIR GRADES.

LASTLY, I DO NOT ACCEPT EXCUSES FOR LATE ASSIGNMENTS THAT STEM FROM PROBLEMS WITH YOUR COMPUTER OR iPAD OR WITH CANVAS. I HAVE NO WAY OF VERIFYING THE VALIDITY OF COMPUTER OR CANVAS ISSUES. ALSO, I AM NOT AN “IT” PERSON. THE BEST PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IS TO ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS. THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEEK HELP IN THE LIBRARY WITH IT IF PERCHANCE YOU DO HAVE COMPUTER OR CANVAS ISSUES.

Form: must be in complete APA form. Please see the template at the library website or look online for APA final copy form. 10% of the final grade is based on the correctness of form.

Outline: An outline is required and should be the second page of your essay after the title page

Sources: You should have at least 6- 8 citations [exact quotes, not paraphrases] in the essay.

You may cite my lectures. See How to Cite a PowerPoint in the first module. Change “PowerPoint”to “Keynote ” in the first module

You may cite a line of dialogue from a character in the film. Please begin the quote with the scene and then the speaker and include a citation.

Introduction: Please do not summarize the supporting points of your essay. Instead raise interest for your reader by using a quote or questions or a provocative statement. Make sure you have a one-sentence thesis that connects to the topic.

Body: Make sure the body of your essay is broken into sections with paragraphs in that section. Paragraphs should begin with topic sentences and should be in the six to eight sentence range and no longer.

Conclusion: There is no need to summarize. Try to conclude in an interesting way.

Grammar: Please proofread your essay for grammatical errors. Grammar counts in your final grade. Use Grammarly at the library website. Remember all film titles are in italics.