Professional Development
Review Evaluation (20%)
James Cain, Mildred Pierce
On the grounds of literary merit, Mildred Pierce is a 'potboiler.' However, its tale of how a hardscrabble woman made a fortune through a chain of restaurants illustrates the American Dream, in terms of both of its good and bad sides. Pierce is a strong woman, but author Cain cannot allow her to be viewed as a heroine, because of her failure as a mother. Reflecting a common cultural stereotype, women are shown to be unable to be successful both in the business world and as 'real' women.
Walter Mosley, Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
Walter Mosley's work is a kind of film noir in prose. It features an African-American detective, Easy Rawlins. This book is important because it looks back at the formative classic era of Hollywood in
The effects of the war upon African-Americans have also not been addressed in film and fiction in such detail, except for Rawlins.
Q3. Yxta Maya Murray, Locas
A-. This novel shows another side to the Hollywood Dream. It is about Latino gangs and their impact upon the lives of young people. The dark underside of L.A. life is often forgotten. This book is particularly valuable because it shows L.A. life and
poverty from a female perspective.
Q4. Budd Schulberg, What Makes Sammy Run?
A-. This book has crackling
prose that suggests a funny Hollywood screwball satire. It is a cynical tale of how lies and deceit can cause someone to rise to the top of Hollywood. It has become a kind of prototype for amoral film narratives like The Sweet Smell of
Success. Once again, it shows the dark side of the American Dream.
Q5. Anna Deavere Smith, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992
A+. Smith is a performance…
