CHID 496 A: Focus Groups

QUEERNESS IN THE FAILED COMING OF AGE NARRATIVE A DISCUSSION-BASED EXPLORATION OF HOW QUEERNESS CHALLENGES THE TRADITIONAL COMING OF AGE/ BILDUNGSROMAN STRUCTURE ACROSS DIFFERENT MODES OF STORYTELLING. EXAMINES HOW AND WHY QUEER PROTAGONISTS 'FAIL' TO COME OF AGE BY THE STANDARDS OF CISHETERONORMATIVE CAPITALISM, WITH ADDITIONAL FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH/TRAUMA, CLASS, RACE, ETC. AN HOW ALL OF THESE IDENTITIES INTERSECT. COURSE READINGS INCLUDE MYSTERIOUS SKIN (FILM/OPTIONAL NOVEL, DIR. GREGG ARAKI), NIGHT IN THE WOODS (VIDEO GAME/RECORDED PLAYTHROUGH, FINJI STUDIOS), BFF (PLAY, ANNA ZIEGLER), AND PUBERTY 2 (MUSICAL ALBUM, MITSKI), AND ANALYSIS WILL CONSIDER THE THEORIES PRESENTED IN JACK HALBERSTAM'S THE QUEER ART OF FAILURE.