Award Date

1-1-2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

English

First Committee Member

Dave Hickey

Number of Pages

160

Abstract

Millions of Americans are subject to television programs about Las Vegas through shows such as CSI and Las Vegas, but there is little fictionalized writing done about this city, and only a small percentage of that takes place off the Strip. Since the publication of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , there has yet to another pop literary examination of Las Vegas as a cultural contributor to the American experience. Partially because of the fluid nature of the city, its ability to shape-shift within a decade, and partially because it is so difficult to avoid the risk and temptation that comes with living here; But Las Vegas holds an interesting and important place in the contemporary pantheon of American cities. While New York is similar to Zeus, the King, and Los Angeles is similar to Aphrodite, the well of desire, Las Vegas is similar to Hermes, the trickster, the baby, the kind of thieves, the message-bearer. Placing Las Vegas at the center of this book allows new exploration of the panolopoly of alienated, indeed, exiled characters, mostly women, who are all, by work or play, drawn to this city. Most are locals, brought here by dreams of easy money, the offer of a job, or the hope of a new marriage, but some are tourists, who, dazzled by the plastic dreams offered by Las Vegas, come here only to discover that their traditional notions of good come too easy to be good.

Keywords

American; Demos; Imaginations; Loose; Original writing; Slots

Controlled Subject

American literature; Literature, Modern

File Format

pdf

File Size

3102.72 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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