Mortgage-backed confusion : explaining the 2008 financial crisis through narrative in three books
Abstract
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Some critics believe that the press inadequately warned the public about the 2008 financial crisis. They give many reasons, like the shrinking newsroom and business journalism ethics, though a major problem is how and for whom business news is written. Critics contend articles are too short, too erudite, and too geared toward elites. This qualitative study examines how three post-crisis books explain the meltdown to average people through narrative, specifically by how they use structure, explanation, characters, and scenes. Wider implications of this analysis suggest that there is no combination of narrative elements that conclusively answer the question of what narrative comprises. The Big Short (2010), by Michael Lewis; Griftopia (2010), by Matt Taibbi; and All the Devils are Here (2010), by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera, are discussed.
Degree
M.A.
Thesis Department
Rights
Access to files is limited to the University of Missouri--Columbia.