Getting On the Road

How to Read

Futurama, Autogeddon can be read in two ways: by chapter or by thread. Choosing to read the project by chapter will take you through an historical period, beginning with a comprehensive contextual overview followed by three theoretical nodes. So, for example, by reading through Chapter One, “Highways and Horizons,” you will first encounter a Context reading discussing the 1939-1940 World’s Fair, followed by three theoretical readings: a Chronotope reading discussing how General Motors’ “Futurama” exhibit reimagined space and time for visitors of the fair, many of whom were encountering, for the first time, a cleaner and faster vision of the American landscape of the future; a Specters reading examining how the Futurama’s idealized aesthetics were already haunted by the very social problems—urban slums, pollution, and poverty—that this “new horizon” aimed to sweep under the rug; and, finally, a Machine reading showing how the fair was already foreshadowing contemporary concerns about the dehumanizing effects of technology.

Alternatively, you may decide to explore the project by thread, concentrating on one theoretical perspective at a time. You may choose to read by Chronotope, for instance, which will lead you to follow a pathway through the project so that you view the context section followed by the Chronotope section in turn for each chapter.

Begin reading by Chapter

Begin reading by Thread