ENG 202 Short Essay Four PromptsFor the last paper of the semester, you will analyze a specific community (either fictional or real) by composing a two to three-page response to any of the prompts below.
1. Argue that Giorgio Agamben’s concept of “the coming community” can be seen in the 1980s punk scene (using evidence from Under the Big Black Sun), season one of Lodge 49(on Hulu) or in season one of Community (on Netflix). A strong organizational strategy for this essay would be to connect key ideas from Agamben’s book to specific quotations from the book or scenes from your chosen show. Check the “Explaining Agamben” document on Canvas for more suggestions regarding things to look for as you read (or watch either show).
2. Examine any cult (fictional or real) profiled in a documentary film or featured in a television show/movie and make the argument that the group demonstrates the opposite of Agamben’s “coming community” ideal. Some options to consider in the fiction category: The Path, Martha Marcy May Marlene, season one of The Leftovers; in the documentary category, consider Going Clear, Wild Wild Country or Holy Hell.
3. One of Agamben’s major philosophical inspirations is Bartleby (a character from the short story by Herman Melville), who, when confronted by changing expectations at work, simply refuses to participate. Drawing on details from the “Bartleby” chapter in The Coming Community, make the argument that his ideas can be seen in the film Office Space. You may also want to reference Melville’s story “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street” and/or Renée van Riessen’s “Community and its Other” to help identify and explain Agamben’s ideas.
4. René Girard argues that communities are brought together when they have a common enemy or a scapegoat to blame for social conflict. Make the argument that Girard’s “scapegoating mechanism” can be seen in Independence Day, District 9, Mean Girls or any other film that establishes an “us versus them” dynamic.
5. Emmanuel Levinas suggests that community is rooted in the concept of duty, or service to others—that community is formed through acts of generosity toward those who are most vulnerable. Make the argument that a Levinasian understanding of community can be seen in season one of Pose, Paris is Burning, or any other film or tv show of your choice.
6. Given the very real absence of public culture in our lives right now, it seems like an opportune moment to reflect on our own communities—the values they offer us, the ways in which they unite or divide us, their structures, their relevance in times of crisis. Analyze any community (or communities) you belong to in light of the theories presented by Agamben, Girard, and/or Levinas. Does your chosen community connect or depart from these thinkers? How is your community responding to the pandemic? Are you still able to “meet” online or is the community disbanded for the moment? How has quarantine and social distancing affected your perception of community in general?
