Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Memories Of Hope And Loss: “Kerhi Maa Ne Bhagat Singh Jameya”, Sheher Bano

Masters Theses

My Masters thesis focuses on socialist Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s memory in contemporary Pakistani Punjab. I use the analytical category of memory to argue that Bhagat Singh is invoked by various groups and individuals, specifically those who identify as leftists or Marxists, in contemporary Pakistan to serve a range of political purposes. My analysis particularly sheds light on how activists and writers use the figure of Bhagat Singh to highlight the erasure of regional and lingual identities in Pakistan. Their remembrances underline a perceived historical injustice; the imposition of a national identity based on Urdu language and Sunni Muslim-ness, …

Reaching For A Higher Perspective: Exploring Elements Of Multiple Perspectives In Literature And Writing, Audrey I. Biggs

Masters Theses

In three parts, this thesis for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing dives into perspective in writing and in life. After a statement from the author, the critical essay defines and analyzes a craft used in fiction novels: writing from multiple perspectives. First, the author describes the three basic perspectives and their uses in fiction writing. Next, a history of the development of multiple points of view leads the reader from ancient epics to modern novels. Finally, the author's analysis of William Faulkner's novel, As I Lay Dying, gleans a broader understanding of writing clearly and effectively from …

The Healing Power Of Creative Storytelling: Utilizing Fiction As A Means Of Therapy In The Writer/Reader Relationship, Alicia Rose Klepper

Masters Theses

What if we wrote the challenging portions of our lives as comedies or the boring parts as grand adventures? What if we recast painful experiences into creative stories that allow us to live in proximity to our circumstances and not be overwhelmed? Storytelling is how we bridge our lives with creativity as a way to heal from the past, process the present, and hope for the future. This thesis explores how the tradition of creative storytelling has evolved to enable writers and readers to uncover and connect elements of life that would otherwise be too painful to process. By bridging …

Characterizing The Female Main Character, Addison Leana Butler

Masters Theses

The strong female character is a term tossed around writing groups, book clubs, and TikTok as something to both strive to see and critique in literature. This research paper transformed throughout the actual research as it went from a study on cozy fantasy emergence and its effects to strong female characters and how to write them well, to its current iteration along similar lines of writing strong female characters. Qualitative and quantitative data was gathered through the use of a survey that I wrote and put to the field, research done primarily through JSTOR, and interviews conducted with experts in …

Constructing Reality: Finding Realism And Finding Jessica, Amy J. Vallotton

Masters Theses

Movies are very influential. They provide enjoyable entertainment and affect the viewer's brain and how it processes the scenes, characters, and plot. Because these processes are often the direct result of the script, the screenwriter needs to understand the effect the camera shots, lighting, pacing, and other techniques have on cognition. The narrative is the script's backbone and a movie's primary source of influence. Movies' effects on the viewer will be discussed through current research and different techniques and narrative examples, as seen in well-known movies and original screenplay. Because movies are so influential, the screenwriter will understand how to …

Discovering Souls Below: Mythology, Lore, And Christian Feminism In Contemporary Fantasy, Emma Dearing

Masters Theses

There are few things I love more than sitting on a warm, sunny beach with my toes in the sand. With a cool breeze rippling off the waves and the smell of salty ocean, it is easy to feel completely at peace. Yet last summer, as I sat limply in a beach chair experiencing all those sensations, I wondered, “What if this was my last day on earth, and I knew it?” More specifically, what if we chose such a serene day as our last? Of course, that reminded me there is only one way to truly choose our last …

Visions Of Aline: A Foreshadow Of The Past, Allison King

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on the first act of a coming-of-age YA novel. Visions of Aline is about a high school senior, Joey Astor. Having been diagnosed with schizophrenia four years ago, he’s been under a grand delusion that he is the school’s most feared bully. Unhappy that Joey is copying him, the real bully, Kaleb Kane, fights back. For four years, Joey and Kaleb have had a bitter and fierce rivalry. With the end of high school near, the two are determined to prove who rightfully deserves the title of the most feared. When Joey’s schizophrenic episodes start to worsen, …

Thesis Submission Assignment, Monica Cookson

Masters Theses

This paper focuses on the importance of complex character development to form connections with the reader. Readers develop connections to characters who are relatable, so writers need to be aware of what makes a character emotionally important to the reader.

Turning Heartache Into Hope: How Fantasy Reveals Spiritual Truth About Sin, Suffering, And Redemption, Sophia Raffaelle Bricker

Masters Theses

This paper examines the problem of evil and suffering through the literary genre of fantasy. Seminal texts written by Christians in this genre present the problem of sin and death through themes and representative characters but also tempers the reality of suffering with the presence of Christ figures, who bring redemption to the characters and story world through an act of sacrifice. Following the examples of these seminal fantasies and building on my personal experience of loss, I approach the problem of sin and suffering in excerpts from my novel in progress, The Mountain Pass Keeper, by presenting an older …

What It Means To Have Meaning: Ai’S Poetic Appropriation Of The Human Imagination, Samuel Louis Spencer

Masters Theses

This thesis is an exploration of human imagination and creativity as it pertains to poetry. With the rise of “intelligent” machines, it is the duty of scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and artists to gauge the ethics of using robots to create art, create information, and create in general. With that in mind, this thesis aims to distinguish the definitions of natural and artificial intelligence. This distinction is at the heart of what makes poetry inherently human. AI poses a threat to poetry and the act of artistic expression. Additionally, AI poses a threat to the human imagination. The aim of the …

Alanda Macmaster & The Realm Of The Faes, Allana Lynn Walker

Masters Theses

Though there are exceptions to this rule, today’s bestselling Young Adult (YA) fantasy novels tend to be riddled with gratuitous sex and violence—material far too mature for developing minds. While this kind of content is hardly new to adult fiction, it has, over the last few years, crept steadily and insidiously into books for younger readers. Reading today’s fiction, one would think these were essential elements of a good story. The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings clearly prove otherwise. Through The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien demonstrated …

Developing And Enhancing Believable Characterization In Fiction, Hollie Boyd Nelson

Masters Theses

Developing and enhancing characterization in fiction is key to gaining a readership as well as perfecting the craft of writing. Through foundational information, relatability, and context within the work, a writer can create new and intricate ways to enrich their story. This then sets them apart from others in their field.

Exploring Fiction Writer’S Approaches To Plot Outlining During The Planning Stage Of The Writing Process, Paul A. Wilson Jr.

Masters Theses

This thesis is about one person’s discovery and growth as a writer of creative fiction that spans decades. It specifically explores and analyzes how professional authors approach plot outlining during the planning stages of the writing process. Some professional authors prepare plot outlines prior to writing their first draft, while others do not. Over the course of the author’s writing life, experimenting with both methods has been instructive to the development of a personal approach to plot outlining. The Artist statement provides background on the author. Next, the Critical Paper examines and analyzes plot outlining and plot structure. Plot structure …

The Misadventures Of Expectations, Laura Elizabeth Solano

Masters Theses

The following research and manuscript discusses the art of using characterization and storytelling to teach younger generations. If used effectively, characterization has the power to transport a reader into the story’s world. The manuscript that follows is the first attempt at a story about friendship, loyalty, and self-actualization. Against all odds, a young man leaves his country to uncover the truth about his family’s demise and reported treason. As he ventures forward, he meets all kinds of people and learns the value of true friendship.

The Heroine’S Journey In Hollywood, Melika Zayehmoureh

Masters Theses

This thesis examines Joseph Campbell’s theory of the hero’s journey as it pertains to the heroine, especially in Hollywood. It refutes Campbell’s mythological premise that only men can experience the hero’s journey thereby being labeled as heroes because of the actions they performed to reach maturity. This thesis demonstrates that although women reach maturity through the natural means of biology, as described by Campbell, they can still make change occur because they have a mind and a will to act as well. Stories of women such as Ninveh from the screenplay Journey to Freedom, Katniss from The Hunger Games (2012) …

A Word Fitly Spoken Is Like Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver: Removing The Veil From Inspirational Historical Fiction, Laura Louise Milcarzyk

Masters Theses

This thesis is about the importance of inspirational historical fiction writers to pen literary works that are more reflective of the diverse Kingdom of God on earth and the trials and tribulations the diverse community of followers of Christ endure in this life. The thesis also defines three literary techniques that will, if applied correctly, help lead a writer in creating novels that bring God, His love, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to life. The artistic statement explains how the novel originated and its process, as well as the novel’s literary and biblical significance. The critical paper is the …

Cruisin' The Coast: A Practice In Passionate Observation, Laura Jean Keriazakos

Masters Theses

The term Passionate Observation is presented as an ability that improves creative writing. It requires a writer to absorb details, noticed or perceived, with intense imagination and reasoning. I present a three-pronged case for acceptance and development of this skill for writing mystery fiction. Examined in this paper are the literary talents of Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, along with the supposition both authors were passionate observers. Moreover, through the lens of education, I connect visual literacy, kinesthetic research, and passionate observation. Then, I show the philosophical correlation between observation in science and passionate observation in creative writing. …

Thesis Proposal And Manuscript, Peter Muer

Masters Theses

The aim of this thesis paper is to illustrate a key topic in the study of fictional literature within the context of envisioning, researching, planning, and writing a literary paper and fictional literary novel. In this, a thesis will be argued that literary themes are the most important literary element in fiction works (poems, stories, plays, novellas, novels…) and will be a core part of the serious manuscript (fictional novel; The Mulberry Tree) written by this writer (Peter Muer). In addition, a sound view of great writers and great literature will be presented, as well as a look at literary …

New Commandments, Jacob Sussman

Masters Theses

I reach into the earth, pull out mud-encrusted objects, and recombine them to define new meanings. With every object transposed, the past breaks down; new potentials form. “New Commandments” recombines historical symbolism through an intuitive building, destroying, and merging to reimagine or re-establish meaning.

The work critiques rites of passage, masculinity, and stereotypes by deconstructing how histories, ideologies, and preconceptions form.

As a queer person raised in-between Judaism and Christianity, social preconceptions and religious expectations festered my formation. Our choice is taken away at this moment of conception. To take back autonomy, I reimagine historical, and religious symbolism and transmute …

Soul Furnace / فرن الأرواح, Isa Ghanayem

Masters Theses

“This is the good washing, this is (the washing) which separates the dirty body from the pure body. This is like silver mixed with lead, it is separated from it by this (process): one makes for it a cupel of bones, which is what is called the “head of the dog” and of which the common name is kūja-which is the crucible—and this must be made of burnt bones. One melts the silver in it, one gives it a strong fire: the cupel will absorb and receive the lead, the fire will make its subtle (part) fly away and extirpate …

A Presence Of P____ And W__Th, Riley Wilson

Masters Theses

This body of work examines the involvement of association as it relates to our cultural interpretations of natural phenomena. Flowers and animals, both real and imagined, have been used as symbols for human morality since the beginning of human history. Two sources with which I drew inspiration from are medieval bestiaries and the Victorian practice of flower language. By combining elements from these references, I aim to pair this idea about the human need for classification with my own considerations about my identity. In combination, I also aim to highlight the responsibility that is intrinsic to curiosity. When faced with …

Making Then Meaning, Ben Denzer

Masters Theses

This is an artist talk contained within a book. It is 816 pages and 49 minutes long. Closed captions run across the spreads. A video of this talk can be watched on bendenzer.com/making-then-meaning

At RISD, I’ve been prompted to expand the scope and tools of my practice and to reflect on questions of meaning in my work.

I spend my days making things, but I’ve never really had good answers to questions of why I make the things I make, or what their meaning is. I don’t think there are simple answers to these questions.

I think meaning comes from …

Moretheless, Abdelghani Alnahawi

Masters Theses

material investigations becoming questions with interjections

Margins (I Nvr Needed Acceptance From All U Outsiders), Jahi Lendor

Masters Theses

A comedian said, “American pie isn’t made out of apples, it’s made out of whatever you can get your fucking hands on.”1 With that, my work seeks to provide an honest representation of the infinite value of the everydayness and behavior of blackness ranging from trauma to beauty. Various mediums explore culture, class, collective memory, identity, and erasure. While resisting institutional and systemic boundaries between disciplines my practice actively seeks fluidity between media. The work often translates to (social) poetic-bricolage visualizations that combine gestures of assemblage, sculpture, installation, and painting. The work focuses on reflecting on how I see life …

Saving The Superheroes, Jeffrey Lawrence Nickles

Masters Theses

Normal Man is a screenplay about Freddy, a below-average underdog who changes the world with the power of his positive thinking. The thesis briefly explores the psychology of how a person’s perceived self-image could stop a highly qualified individual from achieving their dreams, while an underqualified person with a positive self-image can go on to greatness. Other underdogs are compared against Freddy in order to provide a relatable yet successful protagonist. The Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are also analyzed to show how the supposed “backward” attitudes of Christianity can save the day.

Christianity Worldview In Fiction Writing: History, Comparison, And Understanding, Stephen Douglas Flynn

Masters Theses

In researching this paper, the artist learned a great deal about how fiction and popular genres are tied directly to or at least behind the print. First, the research takes a perfunctory look at how the Christian behaviors and, more or less, common morals create what readers know today as a worldview genre, also known by other names. The worldview seeks to present a protagonist who changes something about their view of the world by the end of the story. The paper goes on to look at the Christian worldview from the perspective of religious leaders. While it may seem …

We Are Your Epistles: How Christian Writers Communicate The Work Of The Holy Spirit Through The Art Of Spiritual Memoir, Ananda E.G. Peters

Masters Theses

Within the nonfiction genre of memoir lies the spiritual memoir, which emphasizes a divine element at work in the lives of mortal beings. Christian tradition, beginning with the Bible, is rich with accounts of God intervening in people’s lives. By writing and preserving their stories, our spiritual forebearers left behind relics of encouragement and instruction for future generations. This thesis aims to inspire Christians to continue the tradition of preserving personal stories in written form. This thesis is presented in three parts. The Artist’s Statement explains the author’s connection to this sub-genre of creative writing. The Critical Research essay is …

Writing As A Mode Of Therapy: The Path To Healing And Selfcare, Lolita Joyce Law

Masters Theses

When someone is plunging into a deep depression, they may not know what to do with the next moment in their lives. All they do know is that they would like the pain to stop. There are many modes of therapy used to assist people with healing. However, writing for many has the most rewards. It is an expression that allows the individual writing to dig much deeper than any spoken word could allow. Writing can help clear, evaluate, and purge the mind of negative thoughts before it leads to action. Poetry, journaling, and songwriting are just a few methods …

All Write Already! Writing Across Curricula: An Instructional Tool In Theater And Dance, Lezlie R. Christian

Masters Theses

Whether it was to clean the barracks or check for foreign objects on the flight line, “All-hand-on-deck!” applied to every breathing body on the ship or in the building; rank did not matter. The same concept should apply to all teachers with writing, elective teachers included. To increase literacy and writing in our schools, all-hands-on-deck is necessary. Professional development on how to insert writing can help. If our young scholars are to be effective communicators, literacy in the arts can help. Do not view writing as an enemy, additional content you must teach. Work it as a tool. This project, …

The Writing Of The War Within: A Study, Analysis, And Creation Of Narrative Reality, Katelynn Wood

Masters Theses

In an in depth analysis of my own work, I study the use of narrative reality and focus on the use of narrative style and strategy in the works of Renée Ahdieh, Khaled Hosseini, and Tim O’Brien to transport the reader from the reality in which they are reading a novel to the reality that exists within the novel itself. I apply the same lens to my own work and specifically hone in on the use of epistolary form to communicate the inner feelings and mindsets of the characters. Through the analysis of the use of this form by Jane …