Digital Commons Network^™

Confessions: A Bfa Exhibition., Mary Carolyn Molony

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The artist discusses her Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition, Confessions, held at the Tipton Gallery, from November 14th to November 25th. The exhibit portrays how the artist responds to issues such as organized religion, war, and politics. Being drawn to art from the Renaissance to Baroque era, the work encorporates an "old world" aesthetic, also with an emphasis on Gothic architecture.

Marry The Night: Creation Of An Illustrated Novel., Kristen Hawkins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this project was to create an illustrated story. The thesis is combination of research both on narrative theory and the process of storytelling, and different methods of narrative art. The research information obtained was used to create a body of work which was later analyzed on its successfulness at adhering to the ideas presented by the research.

Neither A Borrower Nor A Lender Be: America Attempts To Collect Its War Debts 1922-1934., James Chambers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During and immediately after World War I the United States lent over $10 billion to various countries to sustain their war efforts and to provide post-war relief. The United States's insistence that these loans be repaid led to sharp disagreements with its erstwhile allies as to the nature of these loans and whether they should actually be repaid.

This thesis examines the processes, and the policies upon which those processes were based, by which the United States attempted to compel the debtor nations to begin repaying their loans.

The central theme of the thesis was developed largely from primary sources, …

From Confederate Deserter To Decorated Veteran Bible Scholar: Exploring The Enigmatic Life Of C.I. Scofield 1861-1921., D. Jean Rushing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield portrayed himself as a decorated Confederate veteran, a successful lawyer, and a Bible scholar who was providentially destined to edit his 1909 dispensational opus, The Scofield Reference Bible. This thesis offers a multilayered image of Dr. Scofield's life by considering political and regional influences, racial and gender attitudes, and religious views he encountered between 1861 and 1921. This study includes an examination of his participation in the American Civil War including his desertion of the South in 1862. After becoming a Union loyalist, Scofield excelled as a lawyer and Republican politician before corruption rumors radically altered …

On The Imperishable Face Of Granite: Civil War Monuments And The Evolution Of Historical Memory In East Tennessee 1878-1931., Kelli Brooke Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After the Civil War individuals throughout the country erected monuments dedicated to the soldiers and events of the conflict. In East Tennessee these memorials allowed some citizens to promote their ideas by invoking both Union and Confederate Civil War sympathies. Initially, East Tennesseans endorsed the creation of a Unionist image to advertise the region's potential for industrialization. By 1910 this depiction waned as local and northern whites joined to promote reconciliation and Confederate sympathizers met less opposition to their ideas than in the past. After 1919 white East Tennesseans, enmeshed in the boom and bust cycles of the national economy, …

Barthian Bliss In The Films Of Darren Aronofsky., Mark M. Hogstrom

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this essay I argue that the films of director Darren Aronofsky correspond to the Text of Bliss defined in Roland Barthes' The Pleasure of the Text. Using several aspects of audience reception to dissect Aronofsky’s films justifies identifying his oeuvre as texts of bliss: works that disquiet viewers by unsettling their assumptions of the world around them and their own relationships with it. This Barthes-based appropriation of literary theory to audience reception theory in Film Studies serves as an example of how personally-developed classification systems can be used to circumvent relying on popular opinion and corporate aims for guidance …

Neo-Raconteur: Allocating Southern-Gothic Symbolism Into Design Media., Mark Daniel Compton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I created the term Neo-Raconteur to convey my interest in medium theory to support the artistic custom of revealing cultural conventions for allocation into artistic genres. The term evolved from the French word "Raconteur," meaning: somebody who tells stories or anecdotes in an interesting or entertaining way. In the past a Raconteur's anecdotes were verbally volleyed, ever voluble, yet quip. Neo-Raconteurs may decide not to speak at all choosing their anecdotal expression to manifest itself through singular or multiple means, manners, or methods of design and technology as well as or involving more traditional techniques of extraction to convey the …

Boundaries., Elizabeth Trabue Gorham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The photographer discusses the work in Boundaries, her Master of Fine Arts exhibition on display at Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee from October 31 to November 4, 2011. The exhibition consists of 20 black and white photographs, the main subject of which is the photographer's son. The photographs and supporting thesis explore the idea of boundaries real and implied, and how confinement can prompt a variety of behaviors. Topics include the process and evolution of the work and the artists who have influenced it, the importance of light and the challenge of photographing family. Included is …

Why Not Kinkade? An Evaluation Of The Conditions Effecting An Artists Exclusion From Academic Criticism., Kelly Drum Moran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though prevalent in non-academic debate, the subject of Thomas Kinkade and his artwork is discernibly absent from the realm of academic discourse. This paper is an investigation into that condition and the circumstances for its perpetuation. Central to the issue is Kinkade's art theory and practice, which establishes his coexistence in both the art and business domains, creating inherent contradictions. Further explication is revealed through an evaluation of the contemporary criticism of four posthumously canonized artists: William Blake, Phillip Otto Runge, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri Rousseau. Consistencies among them correlate to the treatment of Thomas Kinkade, suggesting a common …

The Gastonia Novels And Ecofeminism: Rereading The Works Of Fielding Burke Grace Lumpkin And Myra Page., Amanda Leigh Aubrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Fielding Burke's Call Home the Heart, Grace Lumpkin's To Make My Bread, and Myra Page's Gathering Storm through the lens of ecofeminism, an interdisciplinary theory that contributes the necessary insight into the link between the abuse of power on personal, political, and economic levels that underlies the human oppression and environmental exploitation experienced by the novels' characters and communities. A resurrection of the Gastonia novels through the framework of ecofeminism will contribute to the scholarly discourse regarding this maturing theory as well as intensify the critical body of work concerning the Gastonia novels themselves.

This …

The Book Of Enoch And Second Temple Judaism., Nancy Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the ancient Jewish text the Book of Enoch, the scholarly work done on the text since its discovery in 1773, and its seminal importance to the study of ancient Jewish history. Primary sources for the thesis project are limited to Flavius Josephus and the works of the Old Testament. Modern scholars provide an abundance of secondary information. These scholars include R. H. Charles, D. S. Russell, Albert Baumgarten, Seth Schwartz, George Nickelsburg, and James VanderKam. The Book of Enoch was composed from roughly 300 BCE to 10 BCE. The Book of Enoch stands as substantial proof that …

Studies Of Editorials Of Chinese Newspapers In Regard To Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945)., Kuangyi Pei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than sixty years have passed since China's Resistance War against Japan in 1937-1945 ended. Chinese people made a significant contribution to winning the victory over Japan. Chinese newspapers and magazines, especially editorials at that time, played a key role in the propaganda of the War of Resistance, boosting national morale, and exposing war crimes of Japanese aggressors.

Chinese newspapers and magazines included many important incidents and issues regarding the War of Resistance. This thesis selects editorials of three representative topics: the future of the War of Resistance, the defensive combat of the Chinese nationalist army in the front lines, …

The Direct And Indirect Contributions Of Western Missionaries To Korean Nationalism During The Late Choson And Early Japanese Annexation Periods 1884-1920., Walter Joseph Stucke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sets out to demonstrate the role of Western missionaries and Korean Christians, especially Protestants, on Korean nationalism. The first significant introduction of Protestantism into Korea came in 1884. Within just over thirty years, the Protestant Church in Korea expanded and many of the nationalist leaders took active roles in the Korean nationalist movement against Japanese imperialism. This thesis consults both Western and Korean primary sources including period newspapers. Some of the Korean primary sources were translated from Korean into English and others were originally written in English by Koreans. Also consulted are many valuable secondary sources which help …

An International Reformer: Jessie Ackermann And American Progressivism., Michael Jonathan Sheffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jessie Ackermann traveled throughout the world representing numerous American reformist organizations during the Progressive Era. Over the course of her lifetime, she promoted progressive reforms in foreign lands. This study examines Ackermann's career a progressive in an international context. The Jessie Ackermann Collection in the Archives of Appalachia holds various records that document Ackermann's career. Ackermann also authored three books during her lifetime. This thesis employs these primary materials along with other appropriate primary and secondary sources dealing with Ackermann and the Progressive Era. Several historical studies have surveyed Ackermann's work as a reformer; however, none have sought exclusively to …

Traditional Story As A Tool In Substance Abuse Prevention And Treatment., Claiborne Beth Ohlsson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the viability of traditional stories in substance abuse treatment. The subjects for this study were young women ages 18-30 who were in substance abuse treatment in a small, rural, health department. During the 4-week study, 4 traditional stories were used in group sessions that gave the women a common reference point and a common language to frame discussions. Using story in the IOP sessions helped to create a safe, supportive environment as well as creating an opening for discussions about trauma and abuse, and other significant issues. Principles of 12 Step Recovery were woven into the …

Raising The Machine., Kevin Charles Reaves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper supports the Masters of Fine Arts exhibition, a collection of sculptural pieces, at the Tipton art gallery in Johnson City, TN. from March 21^st through March 28^th, 2011. Raising the Machine showcases my exploration of forms using fabrication techniques found in metalsmithing and other media. Discussed within are the concepts, techniques, and materials used to create the forms including images and works from the exhibition.

Thieves Apostates And Bloody Viragos: Female Irish Catholic Rebels In The Irish Rebellion Of 1641., Edwin Marshall Galloway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the roles played by Irish Catholic women in the Irish Rebellion of 1641. The primary goal is to examine the factors that determined the nature of those roles. To achieve this end, I used the information contained in the 1641 depositions, a collection of sworn statements given by the victims of the rebellion. The depositions are valuable in two ways. First, eyewitness testimony contained therein is generally reliable, and can be used to construct an accurate narrative of the rebellion. Second, less reliable hearsay evidence is crucial to understanding the fears of …

The Image Of The Enemy: To Auschwitz With Righteousness., David Crabtree

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis is a study and analysis of Nazi propaganda, specifically focusing on the medium of film. Throughout Hitler’s Third Reich, propaganda played a vital role in maintaining popular support for the party platform in addition to fueling the convictions of the Nazi elite. There are three main divisions to this study. First, an overview of the structure and organization of Nazi Germany and particularly The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda will be given, followed by an exploration of the origins and evolution of anti-Semitism in the Third Reich. Last, two Nazi anti-Semitic propaganda films will be analyzed to …

Dispensing Wilderness., Evan Edward Townsend

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honor’s thesis and my solo exhibition, borne from the love of wilderness, seek to connect with the reader/viewer personally as nature is connected with us. My art refers to the responsibility we all share for a connection to and stewardship of nature. Through my show and thesis and through the lens of art, I hope to inform and raise consciousness of our waning and coveted American wildernesses and natural wonders. Each piece in my show has a historical context that provides information about my thought process and my need to educate. With my research providing the backlighting, the paper …

Creating Gender In Disney/Pixar's Wall-E., Brittany Long

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this thesis I will look at Disney/Pixar’s creation and portrayal of gender in the film WALL-E. In particular I will be looking at two areas of interest: (1) The ways in which Disney/ Pixar anthropomorphizes and creates gender for WALL-E and EVE, the two main robots featured in the movie, and (2) whether or not Disney/Pixar’s representations of masculinity and femininity follow the stereotypical representations of male dominance or if this representations challenge this stereotype. In this chapter, I will begin with a brief overview of previous studies in the areas of anthropomorphism, gender representation in children’s media, and …

The John H. Crawford Papers: Letters From The Civil War., Holly Young

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of my thesis research was to transcribe a collection of letters to John H. Crawford about the formation and actions of the Sixtieth Tennessee Infantry (Confederate) in Jonesboro during the Civil War, annotate them, and provide an introduction that details the events and people described in the letters. These letters are important because they describe first-hand the process of formation of this Confederate infantry unit in an area of East Tennessee that predominately supported the Union. The letters themselves can be found in the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University’s Charles C. Sherrod Library.

The Crucible Of Texas Politics: An Analysis Of The United States Senatorial Primaries Of 1941 And 1948., Ginger Mcgoldrick Spradlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lyndon Johnson's opponents used the outcome of his 1948 senatorial bid to demonstrate his dishonesty. This win by eighty-seven disputed votes gave him the derogatory title, "Landslide Lyndon." Johnson's initial senate campaigns in 1941 and 1948 are examined for Texas Politics as usual.

Upon Senator Sheppard's death in 1937, a special election precipitated with Martin Dies, Gerald Mann, Lyndon Johnson, and W. Lee O'Daniel as the candidates. Although this election has not received the notoriety of 1948, it exemplifies Texas Politics as usual where thousands of manipulated votes resulted in O'Daniel's late victory.

Johnson's next race for the senate came …

Fossil Peonies And Birds Master Of Arts In Studio Art Thesis., Jing Jing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of influences of Chinese flower-and-bird paintings, I created a series of fossil peonies and birds paintings. This paper describes the concept of this series, materials, creative process, cultural and contextual influences, and the artists who inspired my works. Several problems I encountered during the creative process were addressed and have been solved to my satisfaction. My concept was influenced by my desire to combine Western painting techniques with Eastern topic and style.

A Matter Of Taste., Charles E. Haskins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition at the Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, from March 14th through March 18th, 2011. The exhibit is composed of nine oil paintings depicting an invented story about two characters who create a soup for a cooking competition. The show A Matter of Taste chronicles an allegory concerning the evaluation of creative works. Through Gaudie and Baudie's "odd" recipe this work illustrates the ways in artists and art audiences interact and determine artistic value. The work is inspired by techniques in distortion and narrative painting. The following expands on the …

Eulogy., Megan Renee Levacy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The artist discusses the search for identity which underlies her Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Eulogy, hosted by the Carroll Reece Museum on the campus of East Tennessee Sate University, Johnson City, Tennessee, from March 8 to May 6, 2011. This exhibit contains works which explore the artist's relationship with the natural world, ornithology, philosophy, psychology, poetry, and related personal influences.

The artist's thesis work consists of paintings, drawings, and photographs. The artist references her own investigation of poetry, philosophy, psychology, and personal history which have shaped a private sense of awareness. Also reviewed are the influences of artists …

A Community Of Modern Nations: The Mexican Herald At The Height Of The Porfiriato 1895-1910., Joshua Salyers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Mexican Herald, an English language newspaper in Mexico City during the authoritative rule of Porfirio Díaz (1895-1910), sought to introduce a vision of Mexico's development that would influence how Mexicans conceived of their country's political and cultural place within a community that transcended national boundaries. As Mexicans experienced rapid modernization led partially by foreign investors, the Herald represented the imaginings of its editors and their efforts to influence how Mexicans conceptualized their national identity and place in the world. The newspaper's editors idealized a Mexico that would follow the international model of the United States and embrace Pan-Americanism. …

The Rage Of The Wolf: Metamorphosis And Identity In Medieval Werewolf Tales., Jessica Lynne Bettini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The metamorphosis of man to beast has fascinated audiences for millennia. The werewolves of medieval literature were forced to conform to the Church's view of metamorphosis and, in so doing, transformed from bestial and savage to benevolent and rational. Analysis of Marie de France's Bisclavret, the anonymous Arthur and Gorlagon, the Irish tale The Crop-Eared Dog, and the French roman d'aventure Guillaume de Palerne reveals insight into medieval views of change, identity, and what it meant to exist in the medieval world. Each of these tales is told from the werewolf's point of view, and in each the …

Right Now, The World Is Ending: Collected Poems., Brian Bowman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A Collection of poems written during 2010-2011, with parallels to the work of Charles Wright, Wislawa Szymborska, and Rusell Edson.

Stray: Paintings, Drawings, And Sculpture., Stephanie Streeter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The artist discusses her Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition, Stray, held at Slocumb Galleries, East Tennessee State University, from April 4th to April 8th. The show exhibit consists largely of self-portraits derived from the artist’s dreams, in an array of media including mixed media on paper, oil on canvas, and wire frame sculpture, all completed in the Spring of 2011, with the exception of one sculpture.

Ideas explored include the influence of dreams, representation of the self, masking, disguising, the loss of home, and the tendency of memory to fade. Influences discussed include the written work of Milan Kundera, as …

Ascension: A Fine And Performing Art Scholar Thesis., Joe Singleton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ascension discusses multiple subjects concerning the art of the author, including death, religion, and painting.