“California, Here We Come” : Perceptions of Southern California in The O.C.
Savela-Cowley, Riikka (2024)
2024
Englannin kielen ja kirjallisuuden maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in English Language and Literature
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-11-21
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202410269506
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202410269506
Tiivistelmä
In this thesis, I examine FOX network’s television series The O.C. (2003-2007) created by Josh Schwartz. The show takes place in a small town in Orange County, California, and follows the personal journey of Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a low-income teenager who is adopted by an upper-class family. The show aired for four seasons before its cancellation in 2007 and has recently regained some of its popularity due to streaming services and newly released behind-the-scenes material.
The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the different perceptions of space and place in The O.C., particularly in relation to Southern California, and to identify how these elements influence and develop the characters and storylines within the show, as well as to compare the show’s own depiction of Orange County to other representations. The analysis process consists of a television analysis of the entire series from the perspective of geography and landscape, as well as the application of theories by scholars such as Edward W. Soja and Bertrand Westphal.
Aspects of space and place have been a part of literary analysis for quite some time now, but this type of analysis is rarely directed at teen television. In addition, The O.C. is a television show that has not received much analytical discussion in the past. However, over the years, in popular culture, The O.C. has become practically synonymous with Orange County. The lack of prior literary analysis, combined with the show’s emphasis on geographical location, proves a good basis for my thesis.
The analysis section of the thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter focuses on examining The O.C. from a geocritical point of view. In this chapter, I compare typical depictions and theories about Los Angeles and Orange County to the depictions presented in The O.C., as well as analyzing the way the show represents areas outside of Southern California. In the second theory chapter, I focus on how The O.C. utilizes nostalgia and memory in relation to the notion of Orange County as an ideal location for the realization of the American Dream. In addition, I examine the ways in which the spaces within the show hold memories for the characters. In the third and final theory chapter, I analyze the impact of mobility (or lack thereof) on the characters’ story arcs and the us and them-mentality that exists within the show.
One of the key findings of my thesis is that The O.C.’s depictions of Orange County both reaffirm and challenge existing stereotypes and representations. The fictional Newport Beach is both an artificial oasis of real estate, and a source of safety and stability for the show’s protagonist, whose journey is one filled with both spatial mobility and upward social mobility.
The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the different perceptions of space and place in The O.C., particularly in relation to Southern California, and to identify how these elements influence and develop the characters and storylines within the show, as well as to compare the show’s own depiction of Orange County to other representations. The analysis process consists of a television analysis of the entire series from the perspective of geography and landscape, as well as the application of theories by scholars such as Edward W. Soja and Bertrand Westphal.
Aspects of space and place have been a part of literary analysis for quite some time now, but this type of analysis is rarely directed at teen television. In addition, The O.C. is a television show that has not received much analytical discussion in the past. However, over the years, in popular culture, The O.C. has become practically synonymous with Orange County. The lack of prior literary analysis, combined with the show’s emphasis on geographical location, proves a good basis for my thesis.
The analysis section of the thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter focuses on examining The O.C. from a geocritical point of view. In this chapter, I compare typical depictions and theories about Los Angeles and Orange County to the depictions presented in The O.C., as well as analyzing the way the show represents areas outside of Southern California. In the second theory chapter, I focus on how The O.C. utilizes nostalgia and memory in relation to the notion of Orange County as an ideal location for the realization of the American Dream. In addition, I examine the ways in which the spaces within the show hold memories for the characters. In the third and final theory chapter, I analyze the impact of mobility (or lack thereof) on the characters’ story arcs and the us and them-mentality that exists within the show.
One of the key findings of my thesis is that The O.C.’s depictions of Orange County both reaffirm and challenge existing stereotypes and representations. The fictional Newport Beach is both an artificial oasis of real estate, and a source of safety and stability for the show’s protagonist, whose journey is one filled with both spatial mobility and upward social mobility.