Transgressive Fiction: When Counter Culture Becomes a Cultural Phenomenon
There are many arguments about the roles and responsibilities of literature. For some, writing and narrative try to encapsulate the time in which they were written or to reflect on nostalgic trends from the past; however, some of the greatest works of literature have been composed by those who have been made outcasts by society. It is from the views that are divergent from the cultural status quo that expose deeper human truths about both the outliers and the society that makes them feel as such. Transgressive literature hinges on the discovery and creative expression that comes from bucking the conventions that perpetuate "the stereotype that all such [popular] fiction is repetitious, mass-produced and lacking in depth and originality" (Colebrook). The irony comes when transgressive storytelling, through its exploitation of taboos and being exploited, finds its way into the mainstream where the very transgressive nature of it gives it the opportunity to shape the world that would otherwise reject it. Author of The Hours, Michael Cunningham, said "I can’t help but notice that when I finally write a book in which there are no men sucking each other’s dicks, I suddenly win the Pulitzer prize" (Osman) . This Digital Humanities project seeks to examine works of transgressive fiction and the social climate during their publication and subsequent development as cult classics that enabled them to crossover and endure as cultural touchstones. This project will curate artifacts such as images, reviews, interviews, Hollywood portrayals, and attempts to expound upon the works as a basis for gaining a better understanding of transgressive fiction's roots as a subversive driving force for popular culture with the hope of expanding available exhibits to encompass some of the most significant contributors.