McKnight 1

Sophia McKnight
Professor Melisa Malvin
English 115
13 August 2016
Beneath Mulholland Summary and Response
In Beneath Mulholland, David Thomson uses Mulholland Drive, a road stretching 21miles from the Cahuenga Pass to Leo Carrillo State Park, to symbolize the city of Hollywood.
Mulholland Drive is known for its scenic views and gaudy mansions inhabited by the citys
stars. Thomson unveils the dim reality of the road itself, emphasizing that despite the apparent
glitz and glamour, there is a another face to the city that is overlooked. He mentions how
resources are used to fuel and sustain a privileged lifestyle of the upper class while the rest of the
expanse suffers. Ultimately, this is describing how the citys allure is merely an overlay of the
dreadful truth, outlining our societys narcissistic and greedy nature.
I was overwhelmed and excited by the truth written in this text. Los Angeles is thought of
to be a city of opportunity and growth, however our society is willfully oblivious to the fear,
desperation, and state of poverty within our boundaries. Many of us idolize the wealthy and
scorn the poor, preventing the possibility of aid and support. We act as though material
possessions and social class define who we are and how successful we have become, essentially
dictating our view of a fulfilled life. A city once envisioned as a sanctuary of success and
endless aspirations, in truth, is built upon avarice and a taunting grandiose sense of self. In my
opinion, Beneath Mulholland is a perfect depiction of the brokenness of human nature.

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Works Cited
Thomson, David. Beneath Mulholland. Writing Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology. Ed. David L.
Ulin. New York:Library of America, 2002, pp. 870-873