Meleah Hartnett

My name is Meleah Hartnett, and I am a Media and Communication major here at St. John Fisher College. I minor in Film and TV Studies. My research paper focuses on the sexism shown in That ‘70s Show. I wrote about That ‘70s Show because it has been a favorite of my family’s for years; we actually have the box set of all of the seasons on DVD. I was rewatching it, for probably the third time, when I was deciding what I wanted my 199 research project to be, and finally caught on to the sexist undertones of the show. The process of writing this paper was more enjoyable than I anticipated it would be, probably because the majority of my research involved watching a show. A challenging aspect of the process was finding perfect moments in the show to illustrate my point. There were plenty of sexist scenes to choose from, but I wanted ones that had a punch to them. It was also very time consuming. When it came to writing, I found it difficult to focus on a few major topics. Once I started looking for issues in the show, it was hard to stop. Originally, I was going to also discuss the issue of race and racism in my paper, but my professor advised me to narrow my focus. The 199 experience has helped me grow comfortable with writing in a more structured form. I have always loved writing, but had never found it enjoyable to write in a research-based
writing style. This class taught me that there could be just as much freedom and creativity in this style of writing as creative writing. The intimidation of writing in such a long form has also lessened after taking this class.

Professor Styrt’s Reflection

Meleah was a very focused student. She grasped the course’s emphasis on how we depict other times quickly and went immediately to the topic of That ’70s Show. The most impressive element of her progress was her dogged pursuit of sources; as you can imagine, ’90s TV does not have a lot of scholarly material written on it yet, and so she had to rely extensively on primary documents mixed with her own cogent analysis. One of her main areas of work was on her counterargument, where she had to do a lot to portray the opposing voices carefully and fairly.

Read an overview below, or read the entire essay by: Meleah Hartnett

I have been a loyal viewer of the hit sitcom, ​That ‘70s Show, for years. In total, I have
probably watched the entire series two or three times. However, it was not until recently that it struck me how sexist the show was. Upon first watching ​That ‘70s Show, I thought it was a surface-level sitcom celebrating the colorful and hazy 1970s. After rewatching and evaluating the stances presented in multiple episodes, however, I see that it is more representative of society’s view on women than I originally thought. I believe that both the subtle and obvious sexism in ​That ‘70s Show, which is shown throughout the entire series, is an accurate representation of the time period the show is based on and made in, but many of the viewers, including myself, overlook the problematic nature of the show because it is shown in a light hearted and joking manner.

 

Caroline Paley

My name is Caroline Paley, and I am an English Writing and American Studies double major at St. John Fisher College. I am also a Peer Colleague for one of the freshman learning communities and am training to be a tutor in the campus writing center beginning in Spring 2018.

The most rewarding aspect of the writing process in my 199 was probably the final few days before the final draft was due. The paper was finished, all requirements had been met, and I was able to simply proofread for small errors while marveling at the fact that a research paper had stemmed from a single thesis. The most challenging aspects of the writing process were probably accepting feedback, both positive and negative, and being open-minded about the direction the paper was headed. Although I struggled to be open-minded with peer and professor suggestions and was at times adamant about which direction my paper was headed, moving past these challenges ultimately strengthened my paper.

I have found that the skills I honed in my 199 such as synthesis, effective academic research, and analysis are incredibly useful in assignments I am completing this semester.  I also have become more confident in my ability to write. I used to believe that I was barely capable of crafting a six page essay let alone a complete research paper. After completing the 199 course, I can honestly say I have never been so confident in my writing abilities and my choice in pursuing writing as one of my majors.  I have no doubt that the skills I have learned will continue to benefit me both in college and whatever career path I choose to pursue.

Dr. Uman’s Summary

Caroline’s paper is a powerful example of literary analysis that shows us how fiction can help us confront some of the most difficult questions of our time.  Caroline was motivated by the Women’s March on Washington that followed the 2016 presidential election.  She saw in the marches potential for resistance against forces of hatred and domination , a theme that is frequently explored in dystopian literature such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.  This personal connection gave Caroline energy and enthusiasm throughout the writing and revision process, a process that she approached with great seriousness.  I can’t tell you how many drafts Caroline wrote in addition to those required, but I can tell you that her final version is insightful, well-researched, carefully organized, and, finally, hopeful.

Strength in Numbers: The Power of Alliances in The Handmaid’s Tale and 2017 Women’s March on Washington

Read an overview below, or click here to read the entire essay: Caroline Paley

Margaret Atwood captivates her readers as she spins the tale of a futuristic version of our own world after a totalitarian regime takes over. She welcomes the readers to the new, radical society, formerly the United States, known now as the Republic of Gilead. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood tells the story of a woman in this dystopian future who, like so many others, has been stripped of all her liberties and whose sole purpose is to reproduce for the overall good of society. Birth rates have declined and many citizens are sterile due to environmental pollution and rampant outbreaks of sterilizing STD’s and STI’s. The result is a nation starving for children. The religion-based totalitarian government has no tolerance for dissent and reprimands offenders swiftly, with lethal methods of punishment.