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Chapter 4 - Seeing Places |
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To explore a more visual account of place and the "American Dream," rent a copy of filmmaker Michael Moore's Roger and Me (1989), a documentary that depicts the fate of Flint, Michigan after the automotive industry closed plants and cut a devastating number of jobs in the community.
After you view the film, write a 2-page analysis that describes how the film presents the "American Dream." Think of Roger & Me as a kind of argument about what the "American Dream" is, who's entitled to it, and who—for better or for worse—controls our access to it. Craft your own argument about how Moore accomplishes these things with his documentary, and draw from specific evidence and images in the film to support your claim.
Use your paper to argue what Moore's definition of the "American Dream" is. For example, he spends a lot of time showing people being evicted from their homes. This could perhaps point to the fact that owning a home is an integral part of this dream. In addition to arguing how he defines this dream, discuss who he thinks should be able to attain it. How, specifically, does he make the case for these people? Finally, who does Moore think ultimately has control over the working person's access to this dream? How does he implicate this group/person/corporation, and does inserting himself into the film allow him to do this persuasively?
Follow this link to read Whitney Jones' perspective on Roger & Me.
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