Title: Aaron Sorkin’s America: Politics, Trauma,and the Liberal Genius
Abstract:This thesis demonstrates that, across his body of work, Aaron Sorkin constructs an
American cultural imaginary that foregrounds ideas of intelligence and community, areas of
his writing that have ty...This thesis demonstrates that, across his body of work, Aaron Sorkin constructs an
American cultural imaginary that foregrounds ideas of intelligence and community, areas of
his writing that have typically been neglected in existing scholarship. Scholarship on
Sorkin’s work has tended to focus on The West Wing (1999-2006), which is arguably the
most critically successful to date. However, I argue that the rest of Sorkin’s oeuvre just as
overtly demonstrates notions of honour and decency that are forefront in the America that he
has constructed, and that any examination of his writing should also take into consideration
his films and other, critically neglected television series. Alongside a critical re-evaluation of
The West Wing, this thesis pays particular attention to Sorkin’s television series Sports Night
(1998-2000), Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007) and The Newsroom (2012-2014);
and his screenplays, including The Social Network (2010) and Steve Jobs (2015), and
directorial debut with Molly’s Game (2017).
This thesis is divided into eight thematic chapters, examining notions of civic duty
and journalistic responsibility; education, intelligence and elitism; the newly identified
character type of the Liberal Genius; individual and national trauma; family and
relationships; and religion and Republicanism. The thesis not only identifies the continued
reoccurrence of these themes throughout Sorkin’s work, but engages with their presence in
American life and popular culture more broadly, such as the changing role of the genius
from the Founding Fathers to contemporary television series. This thesis also examines how
Sorkin’s engagements run counter to more traditional media responses to, among others,
intellect, journalistic practice and political action, to avoid more reactionary stances in
favour of a measured representation.
Through identification of different themes and characters in Sorkin’s work, this thesis
argues that he has constructed a fantasy of America that presents a return to an earlier
idealism in which intelligent and civic minded individuals, regardless of the industry in
which they work, have a responsibility to come together in order to make nation a better
place.Read More
Publication Year: 2020
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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