Write an essay in which you describe the relationship between (a) cultural objects and/or practices in America and the cultural values, beliefs, desires, dreams, ideals, etc. they reflect.

Your essay should be like your previous essays in this class in that you must provide a thesis and support this thesis throughout your essay.  However, this assignment will require you to do a little bit of investigation outside of our classroom.

You will need to conduct outside research on your topic.  These include book chapters, articles taken from books, magazine articles, journal articles, newspaper articles, reviews, or internet website information.Topics for this assignment may include a wide variety of subjects, from big buildings like malls; to genres in the entertainment industry like "the horror movie;" to single songs, books, or works of art; to large-scale cultural practices like celebrating Christmas, smoking cigarettes, or binge drinking.

To get credit, your essay must  include at least one outside source of research information pertaining to your subject. (I would recommend using more than one source for an effective essay.)

Your task for this essay is to find a cultural practice or object that interests you and discuss how the nature of the object or practice reveals the values of those who practice it. Why do smokers smoke? What role does it play in their lives? How does it define their character, values? How can one express themselves through smoking, listening to certain music, dressing in certain clothing, following certain cultural rituals in their daily lives?
 

Some topics for analysis may include:

• 9/11 and how it changed America
• Gangsta rap music: the voice of a people or the glorification of violence?
• Female rappers and their message
• Ska and Punk, music of the 80s
• The diet craze in America
• Fast Food Nation:  American eating style
• Teaching Intelligent Design in the classroom
• Grand Theft Auto and the pleasure of violent video games
• Jazz, the American music
• Country and Western Music, only for country people?
• Straightedge, a way of life
• Native American tribes and Native American culture in Connecticut: in name only?
• Sport hero worship
• College drinking, college lifestyle
• Big money college sports: bad for college?
• Facebook: too much information?
• Win at all cost: steroid use in baseball
• Guns and hunting, the American way?
• The commercialization of Christmas
• Suspense vs. horror in the movies
• Britney Spears, a positive role model for young girls?
• Advertising glorifies [drinking, smoking, sex, etc.]
• Something for nothing: the lure of gambling
• Banished from society, the smoker in America
• Why save the environment?
• The Godfather movies (or The Sopranos) and the image of the Italian-American in America
• Latino culture(s) in America
• Fantasy and realities about SUVs
• The depiction of "sex without consequences" on TV
• Attitudes about AIDS in America
• The American love affair with the car
• The surfing subculture
• The Connecticut culture
• Virtual reality
• Comic books versus "Graphic Novels," not just for little kids