We have spent this term critically analyzing how our pop culture is embedded with cultural values, offering a snapshot of the historical social and political contexts surrounding its creation. Now, you will choose a specific artifact from pop culture (such as a book, song, movie, TV show, video game, etc.) and pursue an investigation into what it signifies about its culture through the use of popular and scholarly research, much like the examples we have read in Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Consider starting the process with such questions: What kind of culture values it? Do they value the themes, characters, celebrities, storyline, etc.? What does that suggest about the culture? How does it reflect current events or issues? How is it different from similar artifacts?

Make a claim about what the artifact suggests about its culture through the synthesis of the following types of sources:

• 2+ peer-reviewed articles that provides a framework for your analysis. Consider researching the genre, themes, issues, etc.
• 1+ popular sources to establish cultural relevancy and popular opinion. These can be news articles, blog posts, comments, reviews, etc.

You are not required to use the textbook, but you may use it as a supplemental source. (It will not be included as one of the required 3 sources.)