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Otherness and Exclusion in A Single Man: Reading Christopher Isherwood from the Perspective of Queer Theory

Annby, Malin LU (2019) ENGK06 20182
English Studies
Abstract
Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man is set in California in the early 1960s and follows a day in the life of the gay protagonist George, who finds it necessary to keep his sexuality hidden due to the widespread intolerance of homosexuals. The purpose of this essay is to examine how Isherwood draws parallels between different misfit groups to shed light on the situation of homosexuals at a time when homosexual acts were still illegal in California. The essay will consider not only the more familiar correlation between discrimination against homosexuals and ethnic minorities, but also the alienation from heteronormative society that can affect individuals of all genders and sexualities. Using the ideas of queer theory and intersectionality,... (More)
Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man is set in California in the early 1960s and follows a day in the life of the gay protagonist George, who finds it necessary to keep his sexuality hidden due to the widespread intolerance of homosexuals. The purpose of this essay is to examine how Isherwood draws parallels between different misfit groups to shed light on the situation of homosexuals at a time when homosexual acts were still illegal in California. The essay will consider not only the more familiar correlation between discrimination against homosexuals and ethnic minorities, but also the alienation from heteronormative society that can affect individuals of all genders and sexualities. Using the ideas of queer theory and intersectionality, I will compare the similarities between George’s situation as a gay man and that of his ethnically diverse college students and of his friend, the divorcee Charlotte, and the exclusion from society which they all experience in one way or another. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Annby, Malin LU
supervisor
organization
course
ENGK06 20182
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man, queer theory, intersectionality, heteronormativity, homosexuality, ethnic minorities
language
English
id
8971469
date added to LUP
2019-02-18 16:13:52
date last changed
2020-06-11 08:39:44
@misc{8971469,
  abstract     = {{Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man is set in California in the early 1960s and follows a day in the life of the gay protagonist George, who finds it necessary to keep his sexuality hidden due to the widespread intolerance of homosexuals. The purpose of this essay is to examine how Isherwood draws parallels between different misfit groups to shed light on the situation of homosexuals at a time when homosexual acts were still illegal in California. The essay will consider not only the more familiar correlation between discrimination against homosexuals and ethnic minorities, but also the alienation from heteronormative society that can affect individuals of all genders and sexualities. Using the ideas of queer theory and intersectionality, I will compare the similarities between George’s situation as a gay man and that of his ethnically diverse college students and of his friend, the divorcee Charlotte, and the exclusion from society which they all experience in one way or another.}},
  author       = {{Annby, Malin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Otherness and Exclusion in A Single Man: Reading Christopher Isherwood from the Perspective of Queer Theory}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}