Digital Commons Network^™

Community Through Commonality: Growth Beyond The Academic While In College, Lekesha Parkman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I’ve drawn on the knowledge I have gained while attending The University of Akron to complete this project. Before I became a student, I carried myself differently but in my years here I have grown in a variety of areas and have also had the privilege of seeing some of my classmates grow in similar ways. My project is multifaceted and each piece is necessary to the other components. It consists of an essay, interviews, photography and full size portraits. During this process I hoped to convey an appreciation for people and their experiences. The participants included in my project …

An Exploration Of My Undergraduate Poetry Works, Clover O'Mordha

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Throughout my years at the University of Akron, I have explored my creative writing, focusing on poetry, and developed a distinct style. There have been many influences on my poetry and I utilize several poetry aesthetics, conventions, and styles. My honor project will explore my poetry by referencing a 30-page portfolio of my collected undergraduate works.

A Socioeconomic Analysis Of Francophone And Anglophone West Africa, Jackson Gagne

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project seeks to examine and analyze the socioeconomic performances of four West-African countries; two from Francophone (French-speaking) West Africa and two from Anglophone (English-speaking) West Africa. It will tackle questions such as:

• What is the current socioeconomic condition of countries in this region?
• Which country is most suitable for investment?
• Is there a marked difference between the Francophone and Anglophone countries of West Africa?

And many more.

A Unit In Victorian Literature, Nina Barnes

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will be the creation of a unit plan based on the analysis of Victorian Literature for a future high school language arts classroom. It will use Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights as the main trade book that the unit will focus on. The unit will include the reading of the novel in its entirety, with the inclusion of outside sources that act as supplemental information such as videos and articles about the novel or the style of writing used in the Victorian era. The unit plan will consist of lessons for each day of the unit, with specific information …

Ohio Women Writers Inspire In Ya: A Study Of Three Authors, Their Most Recent Young Adult Texts, And Their Paths To Publication, Genevieve Wadge

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project, I will explore the world of YA literature and publishing with a focus on three female authors, Dr. Julie Drew, Rachele Alpine, and Colleen Clayton, and will use their most recently published young adult literature books to further reinforce my research. I will focus on how those texts fit into or go against the current canon of YAL, what common themes these stories touch on, how an adolescent reader might relate to the story and the characters, and other nuances of the texts.

A Steady Journey - Critical And Self-Analysis, Ashley Gonzalez

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Analysis of the composition of A Steady Journey, a young adult fantasy novel featuring a disabled protagonist by Ashley Gonzalez.

"Lily-Brick" Peripheral Documents, Benjamin Holda

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The peripheral analysis of the composition of the novel Lily-Brick, by Ben Holda

Exploring Adolescent Grief, Mental Health/Illness, Coping Mechanisms, And Recovery Through Young Adult Literature ‘Problem’ Novels, Kailey Gabriel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Since the turn of the century, mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and self-harm have been on the rise in teenagers. A teen’s first confrontation with a traumatic event, such as violence or grief, often exacerbates symptoms of mental illness in those already susceptible. The problem novel, a subcategory of Young Adult literature, has emerged as a potentially therapeutic cultural form for teenagers coping with illness and/or trauma. In a world that still heavily stigmatizes mental afflictions, it can be helpful and affirming to read about characters dealing with similar issues through the comfortable distance of fiction. Readers can identify …

Immortality In Literature: The Goddesses Of Ancient Greece, Rebecca Lozier

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The following text explores the connections between the mythology of ancient Greece and the society from which it arose. Women are often at the heart of classical myth despite being oppressed members of society. Understanding the role of women in mythology provides insight into women's treatment in ancient Greece. It follows the lasting influence of ancient Greece and its mythology through to the Romantic Period. Understanding how poets used myth, provides understanding into the culture's beliefs about women.

Return To Sender, Katherine Noelle Nypaver

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Return to Sender is a fictional short story that illustrates the potential consequences of neglecting to take others seriously. River Ellison, a high school senior at St. Jude’s Academy struggling with depression and habitual self-harm, receives a note from his peer regarding his thoughts on suicide. His ordinary school day transforms into twenty-four hours of repercussions that force River to see his peer for what she is—an equal. Prefacing the short story, my critical essay explains why I find C.D. Payne, John Green, Jesse Andrews, and J.D. Salinger so inspiring to the young adult literature world. I also analyze how …

"The Mouth Of The Void," "Hum", Hannah L. Comeriato

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project presents two distinct pieces of short fiction, linked through intentional stylized language, grammatical patterns, and a sectionalized narrative structure. Each individual piece of short fiction functions independently – as separate and distinct from the other, with no explicit connection in content (i.e. recurring characters, parallel timelines etc.). However, each narrative also displays a kind of complex interaction with the other, each crafted to produce, when read alongside one another, a shared indistinct aesthetic and emotional experience. This aesthetic and emotional experience is crafted, specifically, by the use of stylized verbs, the em-dash, and alternating dialogue-based and image-based sections. …

As If We Were Alive - Trauma Recovery In Toni Morrison's Beloved And The Bluest Eye, Eric D. Mcdonnell Jr

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Beloved each explore issues of traumatized individuals and the effects of this trauma on their lives and the lives of those around them. An oft-overlooked piece of Morrison's work, however, is her focus on recovery from trauma and the unique presentations of these possibilities through narrative. In these selected texts, the need for a community to act, engage, and remember the trauma of individuals and collectives shine through as the key ways to move twaords the hope of recovery from traumatic events.

Gender And The Popular Heroines (And Heroes) Of The Young Adult Dystopia, Kara E. Hemphill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For the past few years, dystopian stories have ruled the young adult fiction aisles and the box office. Taking the reins from similarly popular predecessors like Harry Potter and Twilight, the genre has set itself apart by telling stories of action, war, and heroism that are often led by a young female protagonist. This project examines a variety of gender-related themes in six young adult dystopian novels, chosen for their popularity and subject matter. While it is not a comprehensive look at the genre, it is meant to analyze some of the most widely known works, which is important because …