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Milton Bradley's "Game of Life" : Constructing a National Narrative Through Board Game Analysis

Author
Swansen, Haleigh
Published
[University Park, Pennsylvania] : Pennsylvania State University, 2016.
Physical Description
1 electronic document
Additional Creators
Kennedy, Kathleen and Schreyer Honors College
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Open Access.
Summary
This thesis approaches the Milton Bradley Companys classic Game of Life as an object of both material culture and literary study, applying critical analysis and historical research to the 1860, 1960, 1982, 1991, and 2016 editions of the game to better understand social assumptions about morality and American adulthood. Each edition is first assessed as an artifact of literature, a readable object from which implications can be drawn about the respective societys expectations concerning adulthood and ethics. Next, historical research is conducted on the era surrounding each edition, providing context for each boards message and exploring whether or not the editions literary implications correlate to historical events. Milton Bradleys original game, the 1860 Checkered Game of Life, concerns itself primarily with entertainment as an outlet for moral instruction, a focus consistent with the recorded history of the eighteenth-century United States; it elevates personal integrity as the catalyst for social success. Editions published after 1960 emphasize materialism and portray morality as a component of the American Dream, tying a players financial gains to public morality by rewarding industry, perseverance, and healthy risk-taking. By 2016, the game shifts from the American Dream to a focus on personal affirmation and individualisma change consistent with the mentality of an emerging millennial culture.
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Dissertation Note
B.A. Pennsylvania State University, Brandywine College, 2016.
Technical Details
The full text of the dissertation is available as an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file ; Adobe Acrobat Reader required to view the file.
View MARC record | catkey: 19461425