'If You Don't Gamble, You'll Never Win': The Importance of Risk in Charles Bukowski's Ham on Rye, Factotum, Post Office, Women, and Hollywood

dc.contributor.advisorBrewer, Gaylorden_US
dc.contributor.authorFranklin, Nathan Andrewen_US
dc.contributor.committeememberCain, Jimmieen_US
dc.contributor.departmentEnglishen_US
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-02T18:44:38Z
dc.date.available2014-06-02T18:44:38Z
dc.date.issued2013-03-10en_US
dc.description.abstractCharles Bukowski is well-known for his gritty portrayals of life as a barfly. Another common subject in his writings that deserves equal consideration is his love of gambling. The risk that gambling entails is a motif in his works, especially in the novels "Ham on Rye," "Factotum," "Post Office," "Women," and "Hollywood." Henry Chinaski, the protagonist in these novels who functions as Bukowski's alter-ego, finds risk essential to surviving in a world ruled by chance. In the novels, Chinaski's risks include living on skid-row, quitting numerous jobs, participating in drunken brawls, and roaming the country. The self-destructive risks teach him the importance of caution, and his disciplined horse betting in Hollywood reflects his belief in financial stability and self-preservation. This concept of cautious risk proves that Bukowski did not glorify a reckless lifestyle. Risk is vital to gaining experience, but in the same way a gambler should avoid the chance of a crippling debt, one must avoid the danger of an irrecoverable loss.en_US
dc.description.degreeM.A.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/handle/mtsu/3492
dc.publisherMiddle Tennessee State Universityen_US
dc.subject20th-centuryen_US
dc.subjectBukowskien_US
dc.subjectGamblingen_US
dc.subjectLos angelesen_US
dc.subjectNovelsen_US
dc.subjectSemi-autobiographicalen_US
dc.subject.umiAmerican literatureen_US
dc.thesis.degreegrantorMiddle Tennessee State Universityen_US
dc.thesis.degreelevelMastersen_US
dc.title'If You Don't Gamble, You'll Never Win': The Importance of Risk in Charles Bukowski's Ham on Rye, Factotum, Post Office, Women, and Hollywooden_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Franklin_mtsu_0170N_10022.pdf
Size:
283.86 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format

Collections