ENGL 200 D: Reading Literature: Literature in the Marketplace

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom presents an alternative economy to our current one. It’s meant to be slightly disorienting; to require you to look at the way the world works from an alternate perspective.  Don’t let it intimidate you: the best way to deal with it is to treat it like a puzzle that you’re putting together.

1. How does the Bitchun Society work?

2. What economic problems does it solve? And what new ones does it create?

3. In what way is labor valuable within the Bitchun Society? And how does it interact with other types of value? Look at Dan, Lil, Julius (the narrator), Debra, or Tim Fung for examples.

4. Because the Bitchun Society uses wireless networking, nearly everyone is connected all of the time. How does this change everyday life? How does it effect the system of credit?