Moo (Masterplots II: American Fiction Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Jane Smiley
- First Published: 1995
- Type of Plot: Social satire
- Time of Work: 1989-1990
- Setting: A Midwestern university
- Principal Characters: Ivar Harstad, Loraine Walker, Nils Harstad, Arlen Martin, Chairman X, Bo Jones, Earl Butz, Bob Carlson, Loren Stroop, Gary Olson
- Genres: Long fiction, Satire
- Subjects: Teaching or teachers, Communism or communists, Education or educators, Economics, Bankruptcy or financial crisis, Pigs, Personality, Money, Agriculture, Colleges or universities, Higher education, Governors
- Locales: Midwest (U.S.)
The Novel
Moo explores the life of a Midwestern university, affectionately called “Moo U” because of its agricultural orientation. The university is under pressure to change with the times—it faces budget cuts, new courses are crowding out the traditional fields, and both faculty and staff are diversifying. Author Jane Smiley takes a scattered approach to her topic. Rather than focus on a single plot line or primary set of characters, she intertwines many stories of the university’s life, mixing perspectives of faculty, students, administrators, and staff.
...[The entire page is 2101 words long]
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