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University Focus: Expanding Education with "Ernest" Effort
Apr 3 2004 by Martin Kerrigan
Kutztown University's new English Expansion program includes the appearance of more exciting courses in English, writing, and film, the most ambitious of which is Exploring Ernest (WRI 480).
Dr. Louis Schwartz, the creator of the course, explains the wealth of information that can be understood through this popular film franchise which "collectively represents an allegory of the human experience."
According to Dr. Schwartz's observations, there are many strands of literary/cultural criticism that can be applied for a deeper understanding of what he considers a "legendary" film collection. "I've been reading many meanings into these cinematic masterpieces," said Dr. Schwartz, "such as how the philosopher Lacaan's idea of the 'other,' the one that is foreign to us, is represented when Ernest encounters and becomes part of an African tribe in Ernest Goes to Africa."
The psycho-analytic writings of Sigmund Freud, he says, give a great many meanings to the symbolism found in Slam Dunk Ernest: "The basketball in this film is clearly a phallus, and the hoop is a glaring vaginal metaphor that, in order to 'slam,' he must compete against a slew of other 'dunkers.' Just look at that expression Ernest makes when he has the ball stolen from him - he looks like he just got castrated!" the professor exclaimed.
For this writing-based course, these films were extensively researched by the professor during the summer of 2003. The 12-hour, marathon-viewing sessions were emotionally and physically draining for the Kutztown professor. "Sometimes, at the end of Ernest Goes to Jail, I would just start to cry, because of the way he was persecuted and incarcerated despite his innocence. It relates to so much injustice in our modern society."
Another trying circumstance arose when the professor's limbs would constantly "fall asleep," thus inducing the painful condition of "pins and needles" as well as the awful cramping that occurred when the given limb "awoke."
Film fans and writers all across campus can barely contain their excitement about the course, which will be included in the Fall 2004 Course Catalog.
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