Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Tuneless Song: A Poetic Form Proposal, Rae Bynum

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Problem

I recently asked some of my fellow poets what the purpose of poetry is to them. The consensus? Sharing experience and meaning with the reader. But what is the point of sharing these ideas if there is no one with whom to share? Poetry readers are dwindling in numbers for two main reasons: the first being that most people believe poetry to be elitist because they have only read poetry from the periods where this was true; the second reason is that “poetry” is widely available to the common person in the form of music. The form I …

Unicorns Are Not Real And Neither Are You: Peter S. Beagle's Postmodern Fairy Tale, Athena Hayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although considered by many readers to be a “cult classic,” Peter S. Beagle’s 1968 novel The Last Unicorn has been unrepresented in literary scholarship. Many fantasy critics in the past have dismissed the work as lacking a sense of reality through its mixing of modern language with a medieval, fantasy setting. However, the novel’s purposeful muddling of reality raises questions of ontology and the nature of storytelling/world-projection. The objective of this study is to not only to act as a sort of apologetic for The Last Unicorn, but also read the novel in the context of fairy tale/mythic studies …

Mark Twain: A Life Story To Tell Stories Of Life, Megan Bynum

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Melding Critical Literacy And Christianity: A Three-Layered Response To The Murder Of George Floyd, Elena M. Venegas

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

In this critical autoethnography, I share my three-layered response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department in May of 2020. This three-layered response stems from my situated identities (Gee, 1999) as a mother, Christian, and academic. I was not only appalled by the dehumanization of George Floyd by public servants but also by the responses of self-professed Christians to his murder as well as the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests. Such responses, I argue, are rooted in Christian nationalism (Davis & Perry, 2020) and the White supremacy that has long plagued the American …

To Reach The Unreachable Stars: Reexamining The Shared Arthurian Vision Of C. S. Lewis's Science Fiction Trilogy And Raymond Chandler's Marlowe Novels, Hollis Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although Raymond Chandler and C. S. Lewis seem to be a rather strange pairing, the ways in which they both borrow from Arthurian literature and use the myth to speak to their cultural moment are strikingly similar. Following T. S. Eliot’s use of the Grail quest in The Waste Land (which set a standard for the use of such material in Modern literature), these authors use Arthurian elements as a means of exposing hidden connections between the fragments of the literary past and the present within Chandler’s Marlowe novels and Lewis’s science fiction trilogy. Both men present Western identity as …

Through The Devil's Mirror: The Villain And The Sinthomosexual As Manifestations Of The Death Drive, Andrew Markus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lee Edelman’s No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive (2004) offers a model for reading queer sexuality and societal place very much in line with that which begins to emerge in early Gothic literature, including Matthew Lewis’s The Monk: A Romance (1796). The Gothic villain aligns with Edelman’s sinthomosexual to illustrate a pattern of victimization and retaliation which results in both the villain and sinthomosexual’s persistent abjection from the social order. However, a close reading of Lewis’s narrative for its depiction of psychological trauma rooted in sexual expression suggests that this queer negativity is not the sum total of …

Salt In The Deep Marine, Rachel Bollinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Rachel Allison Bollinger: Salt in the Deep Marine

(Under the direction of Dr. Christine Butterworth-McDermott and Dr. John McDermott)

The surface tension present between liquid and air is due to the fact that liquid molecules are highly attractive to one another. Because of this, the surface of water acts like an elastic membrane, allowing human hands or light insects to sit or slide on its surface. For a moment or two, the hand or the insect seems to occupy both the water and the air simultaneously. This commonplace phenomenon is explored in the poetry collection, Salt in the Deep …

An Intergalactic Diplomat, Arianna Marie Sanchez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This manuscript tells the story of Princess Luna McGlothen as she travels to the Eighth Galaxy Alliance as part of Earth’s first attempt at intergalactic diplomacy. Set in the distant future, Princess Luna is the heir to the throne of the Royal Republic of North America and is trying to prove to her authoritarian mother, and to herself, that she is worthy of her birthright. Across the universe she makes friends and enemies, experiences true betrayal, and realizes that she has what it takes to be a great leader.

Radical Empowerment And Evolution In Fay Weldon’S Menippean Satire: The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil (1983), Jackson A. Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This master’s thesis explores Fay Weldon’s implementation of Menippean satire in her 1983 novel, The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. The present discussion argues Weldon utilizes this specific satiric mode within her novel in order to convey a story of radical female empowerment and evolution that critiques gendered stereotypes of marriage and female roles in society. To make this argument, this thesis applies satire theory, most prominently Mikhail Bakhtin’s ideas about Menippean satire, as well as marriage and family psychology, to Weldon’s characterization of wives, husbands, and mistresses throughout the novel. Through this discussion, Rivera demonstrates the effectiveness of …

“Happiest Delineation:” Literature, Reading Habits, And Characterization In Austen’S "Northanger Abbey", Emily Crider

Undergraduate Research Conference

In response to the strictly gendered society of Regency England, Jane Austen’s 1817 Gothic parody novel Northanger Abbey offers insight to the nuances of gender disparities. As such, the use of a gendered and historical critical approach throughout the project allows for a more comprehensive view of the societal expectations and taboos of 18th-century reading.

The Thin Blue Line Of Theodicy: Flannery O’Connor, Teilhard De Chardin, And Competitions Between Good/Good And Evil/Evil, Sue Whatley

Faculty Publications

This essay explores the concept of theodicy in Flannery O’Connor’s works of fiction. O’Connor’s fiction complicates the subjects of good and evil, moving the reader through what seem to be competitions not only between good and evil, but also between actions of good and actions of evil. Characters align themselves with one force, then another, in a constantly fluctuating system, and there is no traditional pattern of Christian warfare that we would expect orthodox Catholic writing to produce. Sometimes, evil brings about the resolution of the narratives, and sometimes actions of good fail to redeem. It is only through the …

The Talking Texts: What Pop Culture Really Has To Say, Adrianne Clark, Madilynn Dewell, Thomas Harrison, Artasia Jackson, Tyler Jones, Matthew Murphy, Whittany Myers, Erica Pinkham, Heath Pyle, Kameron Rymer, Sara Salazar, Amanda Thornton, Lynessia Torunski, Nickolas Watkins, Karina Weathers, Logan Willhoite, Courtney Wooten

Student Publications

This newsletter is built upon work done in a Fall 2017 honors writing course based around the rhetorical analysis of pop culture. Students wrote several initial analyses before choosing one to research and write about further. They then chose a short excerpt from their researched projects to include in the newsletter.

Everyday Magic: A Linguistic Analysis Of Sarah Addison Allen’S “Just So You Know”, Hannah Tumlinson, Jessie Sams

Undergraduate Research Conference

This project diagrams and analyzes Sarah Addison Allen’s magical realism essay, “Just So You Know,” which informs readers that, just as they fall in love with books, books fall in love with them, too. I focus on two defining features: (1) second person point of view (2) grammatical features from sentence structure and vocabulary

The Office, Jessie Anderson, Lauren Sasha Clemmer, Caitlyn Denning, Sara Ferrufino, Daniel Greco, Joshua Harris, Amber Kier, Erika Queme, Sarah Rosa, Hannah Russell, Webb Smith, Katelyn Takacs, Emily Wallis, Chase Alex Watkins, Jordan Wright, Megan Zewe, Courtney Wooten

Student Publications

This newsletter was created by the Fall 2016 Honors English Class from Stephen F. Austin State University. Throughout the semester students were asked to define and interpret the terms "work" and "labor." Through our individual research on different aspects of work and labor, we hope to expand the general spectrum of what encompasses these topics. Works and labor are two important aspects of our culture. They are umbrella terms that encompass many occupational fields and serve as a uniting factor in modern-day society. Aspects of work and labor are observable in an assortment of environments, whether it be through schoolwork …

Back To The Future: Student Time Period Analyses, Jordan Barge, Sarah Ebert, Anna Gaskin, Renay Gladish, Quinn Hamilton, Morgan Hanson, Hannah Markham, Mark Mclean, Callie Smith, Bertha Vega, Shelby Watkins, Jamie Weihe, Jillian Whitney

Student Publications

This newsletter began with the Fall 2015 Honors English class. These students were challenged to initiate research over a topic they thought was interesting and show how it related to our campus, Stephen F. Austin State University. It is our hope that this cumulative research will help readers look at SFA a little differently.

Say What?: The Power Of Language And Communication Demonstrated In Chuck Palahniuk’S Lullaby, Brittany Krantz

Faculty Publications

Throughout Lullaby, Palahniuk manipulates traditional communication by obscuring the roles of speaker and recipient with the culling song, a poem that causes instant death to those who hear it. Despite the obvious incorporation of magic and fantasy, the novel reflects genuine aspects of linguistic functions and indicates authentic applications for the use of language and speech acts in the actual process of communication. The author highlights the impact that language bears upon one’s psyche, as individuals’ thoughts often transpire into words, and consequentially, into threatening actions that jeopardize others’ well-being. Palahniuk’s manipulation of traditional communication is that victims do not …

The Supernatural’S Role In The Juxtaposition Of The Ideas Of Modernity, Traditionalism And Identity In Zakes Mda’S The Heart Of Redness, Thabo Lucky Mzileni

English 502: Research Methods

The supernatural is an entity found in many African literary texts as it is an important part of the African cultural fabric that informs and shapes the African way of life. In modern times the supernatural still informs these African cultures even though it is oftentimes defined by some unknown entity outside the realm of understanding, beyond reason. This paper explores the ideas presented in Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness—a novel sourced from the Xhosa cattle killings of 1856-1857, prompted by Nongqawuse’s prophetic message. Specifically, the paper examines how ideas of modernity, traditionalism and identity are influenced by …

Marcus Clarke: Confronting Spectacle With Spectacle In For The Term Of His Natural Life, Mary E. Perkins

English 502: Research Methods

While Marcus Clarke’s For the Term of His Natural Life is unquestionably a valuable contribution to Australian literature, his journalism career also deserves equal attention, particularly as an influential antecedent to the creation of his seminal text not only on a technical basis as John Conley details in “Marcus Clarke: The Romance of Reality”, but also as a social platform. In “Marcus Clarke and the Society of the Spectacle: Reflections on Writing and Commodity Capitalism in Nineteenth-Century Melbourne,” Andrew McCann demonstrates how the “Peripatetic Philosopher”— one of Clarke’s more successful journalistic endeavors—and other selections reveal Clarke’s critique of the colonial …

The Submissive, The Angel, And The Mad Woman In District 12: Feminine Identity In Suzanne Collins’S The Hunger Games, Kirstie E. Linstrom

English 502: Research Methods

The social roles women are given in literature are often debated by critics. This essay discusses the treatment and perceptions of female characters in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games trilogy. Throughout the trilogy, the male characters shape the identities of the female characters through language and enforcing Western gender roles. Katniss, Prim, and their mother each fill different roles typically assigned to women. Katniss is a submissive female; Prim is the innocent angel in the household; and their mother portrays a mad woman that cannot cope with reality. These characters—Katniss in particular—are often misconstrued by audiences and critics. Katniss is …

Running Away To Neverland: The Fear Of Adulthood In John Green’S Paper Towns And J. M. Barrie’S Peter Pan, Teri Klauser

English 502: Research Methods

In examining John Green’s young adult novel, Paper Towns, and J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, a theme of fear towards adulthood and social obligation is explored in the characters, Margo Spiegelman and Peter Pan. This fear causes them both to run away to their own Neverland. In doing so, both characters are hindered from truly growing, as they settle into a frivolous and forgetful lifestyle. Using critics, such as Michael Egan, Sarah Gilead, and Karen Coats, I will examine Peter Pan as the immortal child, having taken on the identity of death and time, as well as Neverland as the …

Glass Slippers, Fairy Dust, And Feminist Ethics: Perrault And Barrie’S Influence On J.K. Rowling’S Independent Heroine, Gennesis Roman

English 502: Research Methods

My essay delves into J.K. Rowling's character of Hermione Granger. Hermione is a feminist character that seems to have been created with influence from Charles Perrault's "Cinderella" and J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan". This essay details the similarities between Cinderella, Wendy Darling, and Hermione Granger, all while proving Rowling's feminist leaning when creating Hermione.

Biological Vestiges In American Psycho, Russell K. Allen

English 502: Research Methods

In proposing that the use of violence as allegory in Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho is warranted, this essay challenges a popular reading of the text, one found in many critical articles, that proposes otherwise. Specifically, this essay will break the novel’s cast into three factions, with each faction having a biologically definable origin: representations of the past, representations of the present, and representation of an ambiguous territory in between. Jean serves to depict a time when people communicated on a level beyond that which is comprehensible to most Generation Xrs. She has been transplanted into the novel’s present from …

Was Jonathan Harker Wearing A Red Hood?, A. Nicole Ferrell

English 502: Research Methods

An icon of Gothic literature and forerunner of vampire lore, Dracula is credited as being inspired by Stoker’s nightmare after eating a particularly rich crab dinner. It’s also evident that he was influenced by other British invasion tales, LeFanu’s tale “Carmilla,” and The Woman in White. However, no work is evident as of yet about the possibility of Dracula being influenced by fairy tales, specifically “Little Red Riding Hood” in structure, themes, and characters.

This essay will be considering Dracula’s background, why Stoker wrote it and its Victorian influences. Then I will examine Bettelheim’s fairy tale structure as …

The Price Of Growing Beyond Innocence: Examining The Literary Lineage Of Mark Haddon’S The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, James A. Clark

English 502: Research Methods

Through a thorough examination of textual clues in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, particularly those moments in the narrative in which Christopher Boone begins to develop an understanding of his own emotional and developmental limitations, as well as the results of that burgeoning understanding, this essay seeks to establish Haddon’s novel as a subtle homage to—if not the direct progeny of—Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and other noteworthy works of literature in which a fictional protagonist, originally limited mentally or intellectually, suffers emotional anguish brought on by self-awareness resulting from either internal action …

What Is This Life?: Responses To Contingency In Chaucer's Pagan Romances, Luke Landtroop

Undergraduate Research Conference

In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the pilgrims’ host Harry Bailey invites the Monk to “quyte” or “repay” the Knight’s tale. Intrigued by various thematic and verbal connections between The Knight’s Taleand The Franklin’s Tale, and informed by critical opinions which identify the former as the “other” against which the remainder of the Canterbury Talesis arrayed, I set out to examine the ways in which The Franklin’s Tale “quytes” or responds to the issues raised in The Knight’s Tale. Not only are both tales chivalric romances set in the pagan past, but both also address the question …

Satirizing Society: The Dangers Of Dressing The Part, Tia Hensley

Undergraduate Research Conference

The eighteenth century in England conjures up stately images of high society, gay balls, frequent entertainment, and a heavy emphasis upon social conduct and propriety. In reality, however, the people of that time lived much varied degrees of this lifestyle,dependant greatly upon the social standing into which they were born. Not surprisingly, those writing in the eighteenth century often dealt with issues regarding the social classes. One such writer was the eighteenth century female novelist, Frances Burney. As a woman writing in a time strongly characterized by its patriarchal nature, Burney also offers a uniquely feminine critique of her life …

Memories Cloaked In Magic: Memory And Identity In Tin Man, Anne Collins Smith

Faculty Publications

In Replications: A Robotic History of the Science Fiction Film [Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1995], J. P. Telotte argues that "through its long history, one that dates back to the very origins of film, this genre [science fiction] has focused its attention on the problematic nature of human being and the difficult task of being human." [1-2] The thesis of the book, he states, is "relatively simple—that the image of human artifice ... is the single most important one in the genre. [...] Through this image of artifice, our films have sought to reframe the human image …

From Dawn To Twilight: The Byronic Hero, Stephanie Mendoza

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.