Creative Writing Commons^™

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Haunted: Writing Poems As A Shadowy Intellectual, Atreyee Majumder

Articles

An academic and writer reflects on the circumstances and stimuli—in the form of poetry—that led her to find a voice that was as intimately her own as it was public.

Bibliography For "Pubcrawl: Stacy Russo Display", Arianna Tillman, Isabella Piechota, Kalea Brown

Library Displays and Bibliographies

A bibliography created to accompany a display about Stacy Russo during April 2024 at the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University, to support the annual Literary Pub(lishing) Crawl event hosted each year by the Department of English and the Leatherby Libraries.

Psalms Of Unknowing: Poems, Heather Lanier

College of Communication & Creative Arts Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Cynical Perspective Of Death In The Book Thief, Dorothy Elizabeth Hollar

Masters Theses

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, death is used as a theme and a character to convey the plot of the story. The character of death is used as a device to show the life of a young girl living in Nazi Germany through the eyes of something more sinister and pessimistic. The story explores trauma, friendship, and the power of words when it seems all hope is lost. This thesis will explore the aspect of death as a character and will examine how it works in the story. The creative portion of my thesis will examine the themes …

Three Years With Buffalo Bill, Russell Storman

Masters Theses

John Muir is the father of modern creative nonfiction in the outdoor adventure/nature genre. His passion inspired generations of Christian writers, especially within the genre, to draw connections between the God of their faith and His hand that they see in the natural world. Set in a forty-two-mile hike through northwest Wyoming’s Buffalo Bill State Park and continuing in the example set by Muir, the manuscript Three Years with Buffalo Bill establishes that faith is an essential element of modern life.

The Weight Of Gratitude And The Burden Of Truth, Joshua Macer

Masters Theses

The roots of this thesis lie in a daily journal written in a tattered notebook while deployed to the war-torn city of Baghdad, Iraq. The artist's statement tells the story of how the tragic events of 9/11 led to a decade of service in the military and how a simple daily journal kept during combat became the foundation for a memoir. Times passing, memory issues from injuries sustained overseas, and conflicting stories led the author to question the accuracy of military memoirs. The critical theory paper evaluates authenticity in memoirs, the challenges to truth and memories, and the consequences of …

Pretty Girls Don't Eat Pizza: How An Eating Disorder Taught Me I Am Enough, Hannah Kuhn

Masters Theses

Eating disorders have become one of the most fatal mental disorders, and yet many people still don’t know anything about them. This allows society to misinform people on what this disorder is, and for those suffering from it to feel misunderstood and alone. Patients and their families don’t need more medical advice on the topic. They need to hear a raw, honest and messy story from someone who is not cured, but overtime has found the resources, hope and strength to continue living with it everyday until healing is granted. This is a story that both informs and shows the …

Shaping Character: The Role Of Mythology In Society, Jaclyn Weist

Masters Theses

Throughout history, man has told stories. Some stories were written on walls, tablets, or bits of parchment. Others have been passed down to posterity through oral tradition. Every culture worldwide has a rich tapestry of legends and myths. It is my intent to demonstrate that these stories use the tools of character development within their various plot lines to both express and shape beliefs, superstitions, and life lessons. Whether they are religious in nature or simply trying to make sense of the world, these stories, myths, and legends have played a part in shaping society into what it is today.

Truth And Fiction, Rachel Michele Schroeder

Masters Theses

This literary review explains the importance of literature in helping to indirectly describe reality. The review takes the reader through a plethora of literary examples and gives brief psychological and philosophical argumentation to showcase the importance of literature in the lives of children and adults. The Function of Fiction describes the ways in which fiction is intended to be employed. On the Psychology of Stories discusses how stories impact behavior. On Myths examines the ways in which myths connect to history and culture. On Fables and Fairytales dissects how stories often have a moral and encourage the best in humanity. …

Brownstown, Usa, Timothy P. Shea

Language, Literature & Writing Educator Scholarship

A poem by Timothy P. Shea read during Messiah University's annual Humanities Symposium, February 2024.

Friday, February 23, 12–1 p.m. “Closing Reception with Poetry Readings and CPH exhibit” Faculty and student poems: “Brownstown, USA,” Timothy Shea (faculty, language, literature and writing), “The Colors We Bleed,” Connor Fleming (communication), “Middle Class in America,” Harrison Keator applied health sciences), “Untethered,” Abigail Rickabaugh (nursing)

“House Of Gwinnett”: The Unofficial Official Restaurant Of Gwinnett., Q C. Blue

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Waffle House, as a kid growing up in Gwinnett, brought a different kind of emotion to me, not one of excitement exactly but one of fondness. They were practically everywhere and yet they would always be veiled by the infrastructure around them. The numerous Waffle Houses in my area never seemed to be the same place, not even the food would taste the same depending on who made it, but it made going there better, more unexpected, and less dull. I never really took the time to understand why Waffle House felt so deeply ingrained within my community but now …

The Official Gas Station Of Mcdonough, Trey Wingfield

ENGL 1101 Showcase

The unofficial, official gas station of my hometown McDonough Georgia is QuikTrip. When people want to go to a gas station there are many things to consider that come with it. Is there customer service good, will the gas pumping process be fast, or will the parking lot be easy to get in and out of? At QuikTrip it comes equipped with all of those and more.

School Day, Cole Palmer

ENGL 1101 Showcase

I wake up to a deafening noise that has haunted me for years, the “Night Owl” ring tone, it is a soft dinging noise. I am really dreading my upcoming packed full day. I slowly climb out of my cool and comfortable bed and make my way towards the backdoor.

Supermarket Advertisements, Connor Whelan

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Advertisements are everywhere. They can be found on every single form of media that is produced today. Some may find them annoying, however they have become an integral part of modern society. They help the community invest in businesses and enable the people to get what they need. While many different things have been advertised over the years, advertisements that were made for supermarkets stand out. These ads will typically target local neighborhoods since that is where most of their business comes from. Their goal is simple: to imprint on a large quantity of people and convince them that they …

Dystopian Future Rhetorical Analysis, Aaron Burney

ENGL 1101 Showcase

With Dystopian futures it has its focus on a more adult audience. With its gritty environments and conflict related to the real world while also having that hint of adventure, adults can find entertainment in the genre. With games such as Fallout for its more historical viewpoint, Half Life for its cover art and Cyberpunk2077 for its Reddit with its unique style.

Looking Into Royal Fantasy Romance, Azaleah Hill

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Storytelling takes many forms, from digital to traditional print, and even television screens no matter the genre. Still, the appeal of fantasy and romance has always been a factor in captivating audiences. Like I Am the Villain, where fate and desires, collide, or From Ash and Blood, where worlds are turned upside down, and love battles death, or Once Upon a Time, where our lovely fairytale idols go through bloody battles and hardships. All these fall under the genre of Royal Romance Fantasy and each of them offers a different experience that invokes a range of emotions. These stories not …

“The Drink Of Dearborn”, Sakina Ahmed

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Chai is a warm drink full of different types of herbs and spices that is seen in every corner of Dearborn. It's beloved for multiple reasons, starting with its diversity in the various cultures that populate the city of Dearborn.

Atlanta’S Underground Street Racing, Alexander Velha

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Every area is known for something, whether it's sports, food, or even tourism, but where I’m from we are known for other reasons. Street Racing. If you’re from Atlanta you already know what street racing down here is about. It’s a lifestyle. We all have the same goal. To beat the other driver and that’s the way all true racers perceive it. It has been around for ages, and it will be around for ages to come.

We All Live In A Computer World, Benjamin Hartman

ENGL 1101 Showcase

German electronic artist Kraftwerk is known for their groundbreaking synth albums. Their album Computer World is about life with computers and technology, and the future that unravels with it. Through several compositions, like the album cover or the music within, the theme of technology is baked into every form of media Computer World has been released in.

The Spooky Science Behind Halloween Ads, Ashton Restrepo

ENGL 1101 Showcase

An underrated aspect of Halloween is its marketability. From movies, TV shows, toys, figurines, and costumes, consumers everywhere are always looking for a valuable purchase during the October season. To capitalize on their seasonal opportunity, Halloween stores wait patiently throughout the year until their respective season to unleash the iconic Halloween advertisement. Examples of these ads include a Spirit Halloween 2021 ad featuring audio qualities of Halloween, a Phantom Superstores image displaying many rhetorical connections with a Halloween audience, and a Party City Halloween video that utilizes many Halloween conventions.

My Favorite Day, Bryanna Montas

ENGL 1101 Showcase

t is my favorite day of the week, Wednesday. I woke up to the sound of nature, birds chirping, and the swinging movement of trees, also known as the setting, I chose for my alarm clock. I do my usual upstairs routine which consists of making my bed, brushing my teeth, and cleaning my bathroom. My downstairs routine consists of making myself two sunny side eggs with my special blueberry yogurt parfait; the thought of the sweet honey combined with the saltiness from the yolk was stuck in my head. When I finish, I then take my dogs, Leo and …

The Ultimate Remedy Of Boredom, Christian Mclain

ENGL 1101 Showcase

College students have a lot on their plates. From the mind-numbing lectures they must sit through to the grueling assignments that one professor always assigns, these students usually are looking for a way to unwind. Students often will quickly turn to the popular procrastination tool of video games, but there are many circumstances where there are not that many people who play the same game or any of the few students that do are caught up with schoolwork, hobbies, clubs, or sports they participate in. However, at Kennesaw State University everyone shares one idea on what the best video game …

Meals In Mississippi, Fayth Ousby

ENGL 1101 Showcase

I grew up in a small town known as Goodman. My family has spent many years here as we own most of the land in said town. While my ancestors migrated here, our ways of cultivating have made a considerable impact on the town. I got to enjoy fresh fruit every morning and vegetables straight from the field. We have always had an abundance of food, so much that we share it with everyone. Everything from the berries and watermelon to beans and cotton. It was a large gathering place for the town as well. Even at this moment, the …

A Day Of Laughter And Friendship, James Hall

ENGL 1101 Showcase

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I decided to go back into my dark room and click the power button on my Playstation. One of my friends named Greg was texting and calling me saying get on Madden. I decided to start a party chat and invite him so we could talk while playing. When we finally loaded up the game, he invited me and he took a long time trying to figure out if he wanted to pick the white or orange uniform. It was around 9:30 am and it was my first game of the day …

It’S Always A Pleasure, Hannah Joseph

ENGL 1101 Showcase

It is 3:30 PM, the final school bell rings and students rush out, tired from a long day of school and ready to go eat some food. The closest food available is the popular fast-food chain, Chick-fil-A. Arriving at the restaurant, Lassiter students laughing, and it becomes super busy due to all the students getting out and the Lassiter teachers in the drive-through to grab a quick meal before heading home to grade papers. There is a strong smell of fried chicken, making customers eager to get their food. Slowly, I realized that all the customers were from Lassiter High …

Living With Depression, Joseph Harris

ENGL 1101 Showcase

The genre of my home is living with depression. This is worth analyzing because more people need to talk about it, and a lot of people deal with it every day, especially younger people. This essay will go over an audio/visual modality, a purely text/visual modality, and an audio/face-to-face modality. These are worth analyzing because they give a basis of information to people who don’t understand what it feels like, but also to give solace to the people who live with it every day. The first analysis to be done is over a YouTube video.

Drifting: An Unappreciated Sport, Mandeep Sethi

ENGL 1101 Showcase

When people think of drifting, they usually think about the movie, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. This movie ended up spurring a lot of misconceptions on what drifting actually is. Drifting is considered more of an organized legal sport than an illegal underground activity as projected in the movie. A great example of this could be scoped in throughout Georgia, particularly more north of Atlanta.

Soulsborne, Jacob Homier

ENGL 1101 Showcase

The Soulsborne genre is known in the video game community for its hard boss fights and unforgiving challenges. This draws in many players looking for a challenge and to feel accomplishment for beating notoriously difficult games. This has led to an entire genre forming around these games and those trying to emulate them. But what is so enticing about these communities? Why have they formed around these games, and what type of rhetoric and tones are being used? The best place to start is by looking at one of the games of this genre, Dark Souls 3.

The Grimdark Compositions Of The 41st Millenium, Jack Rivers

ENGL 1101 Showcase

Warhammer 40k, or sometimes referred to as 40k, is an expansive universe filled with characters, novels, video games, artwork, and more. The main themes of Warhammer 40k are all about the grim darkness of the far future: unending war, cosmic horror, tyrannical governments, constant death, destruction, and so on. As such, these themes are epitomized in the compositions of Warhammer 40k: An Intro to the Dark Millennium for its atmospheric tone, “I AM” - A SERVATOR’S TALE for its relatable themes, and BATTLEBARGE for its vivid imagery.