"The Tale of Jim Bum: A Poker Memoir" is a satirical fictional account that is half literary realism and half poker memoir. The manuscript covers the beginning (Part One) of the novel I plan to finish for my MFA capstone project. It follows a first person narrator named Jim "Bum", a poker aficiando that works as a janitor at a casino where he gambles his wages irresponsibly, all while supporting his wife who pursues her dreams to be a cardiologist. One half of the manuscript is satirical commentary, commenting on themes of: rugged individualism, the American Dream, addiction, healthy/toxic masculinity, appearance v. reality, age, race, class, and gender. The other half of the manuscript models poker memoirs and their form and style: jargon, slang, biography, poker facts, and general history....

The setting of the manuscript takes place in 2016, right before the US presidential election. I chose this time period because it is arguably a pivotal moment in American history, and I felt poker could accurately comment on contemporary issues of capitalism and masculinity metaphorically....

I've had the idea of a homeless character Bildungsroman for almost a decade now. As a writer, I've been determined to write this story in order to answer pressing questions.... I've been fascinated with these questions and the idea that millennials as a generation seem to tread close to homelessness, borrowing loans to take chances on college degrees they may not even use in the future. I was also drawn to the ideologies of consumerism, capitalism, and family, and how those ideas affect millennials and their self-seeking attitudes toward life....

Using poker as a metaphor, I wanted to comment on millennial aspirations and the fact that we are gambling to find our ways in this capitalistic society-- namely, to help others and save ourselves. The age old game of poker let me tap into ideas of capitalism and masculinity that have been personal and prescient in my life. Poker is an analogous competitive sport that can act as a healthy ritual process where boys become men, although it is equally a game where life can fall apart due to personal irresponsibility. With mature mentorship from other men, a character like Jim can understand his flaws, and rise above his teachers that have taught him how to play. In the end, it is up to him and him alone to become a better player, but more importantly, a better man. Writing Jim, I desired to portray a character that is perceived as a bum by others, but learns that it's less important what others think; rather, it's what Jim believes about himself that will fuel him to improve and take responsibility for the consequences of his actions.

In this polarizing day and age of identity politics, I wanted to blur the lines of appearance versus reality and show that there is good in the bad, as well as bad in the good....