Literature Review #5
"Pop Culture's War on Fraternities"
1. Visual.
2. Citation.
Fetters, Ashley. “Pop Culture's War on Fraternities.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 28 Feb. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/02/pop-cultures-war-on-fraternities/284126/.
Fetters, Ashley. “Pop Culture's War on Fraternities.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 28 Feb. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/02/pop-cultures-war-on-fraternities/284126/.
3. Summary.
This article is a summary and analysis of movies that were released within the last half century that had influence over public opinion on Greek life. Beginning with the movie How to be Very, Very Popular (1955), the article considers the impact the movie had on the public. While fraternities then were still depicted as outlandish and wild for their time, deeper analysis of this movie and time shows that fraternities still had much to change to reflect what they are today. The article continues on to touch upon serval other movies from the time period, from Fraternity Row (1977) to Revenge of the Nerds (1984). However the main focus of the article is on National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). The impact that Animal House had on the public opinion as well as the approach many college students took to drinking was one that had not been introduced by earlier films. Animal House proved to be the turning point by way of media influence on American fraternity life. No longer was Greek life for the overachievers and cookie cutter preppy students; Greek life had become a place for students who were tired of the system as it was, and who were ready for a group of people they could let loose with. Animal House was the start of a new era when it came to Greek life and college drinking culture.
4. Author.
Ashley Fetters is a writer and editor based out of Brooklyn, New York. She has her bachelor's degree from Northeastern University with a major in journalism. She is an experienced writer, as her work has appeared in The Atlantic, GQ, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly. She often writes features on pop culture, such as this article that focused on Animal House.
Ashley Fetters is a writer and editor based out of Brooklyn, New York. She has her bachelor's degree from Northeastern University with a major in journalism. She is an experienced writer, as her work has appeared in The Atlantic, GQ, The Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly. She often writes features on pop culture, such as this article that focused on Animal House.
5. Key Terms.
Materialism: a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
Iconoclasts: a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
Conformity: compliance with standards, rules, or laws.
Materialism: a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
Iconoclasts: a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
Conformity: compliance with standards, rules, or laws.
6. Quotes.
"Thirty-six years later, Animal House and its 'infectious anarchy' are credited with-or blamed for-the rise of the keg-standing, beer-ponging, vomit-spewing, university-plaguing fraternity as we know it" (Fetters, 2).
"But a closer look at Animal House and Hollywood's portrayals of Greek life before and after it reveals that the groundbreaking film didn't necessarily bring back or reinvent fraternities" (Fetters, 2).
"In pre-Animal House pop culture, fraternities were often shown to be a little bit mischievous, but ultimately harmless" (Fetters, 2).
"They subvert the Greek system by taking its rituals to absurd extremes, thereby rendering them meaningless" (Fetters, 6).
"Reports of hazing brutality, sexual assault, binge-drinking tragedies, and hazardous Greek-house living conditions have produced a second wave of public suspicion toward fraternities" (Fetters, 9).
"Thirty-six years later, Animal House and its 'infectious anarchy' are credited with-or blamed for-the rise of the keg-standing, beer-ponging, vomit-spewing, university-plaguing fraternity as we know it" (Fetters, 2).
"But a closer look at Animal House and Hollywood's portrayals of Greek life before and after it reveals that the groundbreaking film didn't necessarily bring back or reinvent fraternities" (Fetters, 2).
"In pre-Animal House pop culture, fraternities were often shown to be a little bit mischievous, but ultimately harmless" (Fetters, 2).
"They subvert the Greek system by taking its rituals to absurd extremes, thereby rendering them meaningless" (Fetters, 6).
"Reports of hazing brutality, sexual assault, binge-drinking tragedies, and hazardous Greek-house living conditions have produced a second wave of public suspicion toward fraternities" (Fetters, 9).
7. Value.
This article is especially important for my paper because Animal House and the resulting impact are the main point for my case study that will support my argument. This article only reinforces the fact that while other points in history are important, in this case the release of other media targeting Greek life systems, Animal House still stands to be one of the most prominent. The domino effect that the release of this movie created changed the entire dynamic of the Greek system. Greek life goes hand in hand with college drinking culture, especially in today's climate. After the drinking age was raised in response to the release of Animal House, fraternities gained precedence as underage drinkers sought out an underground place to continue drinking. This article only highlights how media can influence public opinion, and how the resulting impact can have a ripple affect, in this case leading to today's climate.
This is very good, and an interesting article. Good presentation, too.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I mentioned after your presentation that there was a failed movement to lower the drinking age -- and to encourage colleges not to enforce drinking age rules on campus -- but I forgot the name. It was the Amethyst Initiative, if you are interested, and it started in 2008. But I think it was abandoned just a couple years later. But it might be worth mentioning.