Creative Writing Commons^™

Molting, Paul Hicks

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Paul Hicks on November 24, 2003.

Southern Star., Shanda Schrae Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Southern Star” follows protagonist Sally Gayle through the cycle of maturation. Complex family relationships and secrets hinder Sally as she searches for her identity in this bidungsroman set in a small, rural area of Southern Appalachia. Taking a minimalist, cinematic approach, “Southern Star” experiments with form and technique in an attempt to convey pure story to the reader. The work particularly focuses on character development, authentic dialogue, and a sense of place.

Ruling Powers, Scot A. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

While the fantasy genre is one of the most widely read modes of writing, literary criticism and academic discussion of the genre takes place at a much lower level. This imbalance has developed in part because of a misconception that fantasy genre writings cannot accomplish significant, literary purposes. This thesis first offers an argument for why the fantasy genre should receive more attention in scholarly circles, then presents an excerpt of a fantasy novel. The argument draws from the limited amount of existing criticism to highlight the strengths of the fantasy genre, building a case that, in most respects, works …

Questioning The Superstructure: A Marxist Critique Of The Rainbow And Women In Love, Diantha Acevedo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Questioning The Superstructure: A Marxist Critique Of The Rainbow And Women In Love, Diantha Acevedo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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A Myth With No Mouth, Jared Salyers

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Jared Salyers on April 25, 2003.

William Blake: An Integrated Teaching Approach, Shawn C. Gaspaire

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to explore the usefulness of providing integrated curricula in today's contemporary classroom. The literature review illustrates that integrated approaches to teaching improve classroom engagement rates, retention, and skill level across grade levels when compared to non-integrated environments. A tenweek model using William Blake as a catalyst is presented. The integrated approach using Blake incorporates history, English, the arts, vocational arts, communication, and the technologies. Implications of integrated curriculum and William Blake are discussed.

Telling God’S Sanction : Storytelling In The Narrative Journalism, Memoirs, And Creative Nonfiction Of Rick Bragg, Jennifer Nicole Sias

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Self-described paid-storyteller and Pulitzer-Prize-winning-narrative-journalist, Rick Bragg has used the storytelling techniques he learned from his people to write two best-selling memoirs that redefine the boundaries of the genres of memoir and creative nonfiction. His speakerly texts combine the voices of the working class of the Alabama foothills of Appalachia, his own voice as a member of this culture, and his narrative journalistic voice. In his works, Bragg has managed not only to carve a place for the voice of the working class, but also to celebrate and preserve the oral culture, history, and beautiful language of his people, the working …

Hit The Ground Running: A Novella And Other Stories, Lisa Robinson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This creative thesis contains a collection of short stories divided into two parts. The first half, a novella entitled Clothes on a Line, consists of a series of linked vignettes that depict the life of a young, unnamed Appalachian girl and her relationship with her promiscuous mother. Throughout the work, the narrator struggles to create and come to terms with her identity as she experiences the adversities of sexual abuse, death, alcoholism, and the looming “secret” of her unknown father. The second half, Consumed and Other Stories, features several short pieces that, while not inter-related like those in …

Establishing An Elsewhere In Contemporary American Women's Autobiography, Jennifer Alena Gingerich

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

“Establishing an Elsewhere in Contemporary American Women’s Autobiography” explores women’s self-writing and the ways in which it offers another story or an elsewhere in the genre of autobiography. This elsewhere is distinct from traditional or conventional autobiography or, more specifically, how traditional autobiography has come to be understood. The project outlines various ways contemporary American women autobiographers deal with the issues of fragmentation (the lack of a coherent self), truth and lying (the self as a construction), and interconnectedness with others (the self as communal) when they write about themselves. It is both an analytical and creative thesis in which …

East 52 : A Multi-Genre Work Chronicling One Man’S Final Journey, M. Joseph Jarrett

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Middle-aged Michael Coogan heads east on US Route 52 through the area known as "Creed County" (a combination of Mercer Co, WV and Bland Co, VA), returning home to "bury" his father, although the man has been in the ground for several months. After a near fatal accident, Michael sees historical markers often revealing two stories: the typical history and the "unknown" history—a description of a fateful event that occurred in or near the locale described. Upon learning of these second histories, he visualizes the events surrounding the unknown facts related to him on the "reverse" markers. These stories trigger …

Strange Fire, Sharon Nelson

LSU Master's Theses

In the aftermath of a worldwide war, the planet Xica is split into small pockets of humanoid civilization. One pocket is a divided abandoned military compound. Beyond the wall is the Outer Rim where people are free yet violence is rampant. Within the wall is the state of Sheol whose inhabitants are drugged and have few choices. Sheol’s ruler, Jared, conducts an experiment where children are raised without physical contact in the Complex at the center of the city. One boy, Zahid, escapes from the Complex and meets other children; Nick in Sheol and Alexandra in the Outer Rim. Together, …

Keys Of War, Clay Carter Weill

LSU Master's Theses

At the dawn of time the gods created heaven and earth. The creator of the moon joined with the creator of the sun and together they produced the first Empress. She is the embodiment of all that is good and holy. She is the spiritual guide to all the tribes of man. The tribes are ruled by men. When one man, Baron Stier, rises above the others he is crowned Archduke. He rules in the Empress’s name and his dynasty lasts for half a millennia. Upon the discovery of the land beyond the sacred islands the dynasty falls. And tribes …

How To Tell A Sea Story, Brock Yusef Hamlin

LSU Master's Theses

A young African American adolescent named Lion is forced to leave his hometown of Rivertown, and join the navy. While in the navy, Lion acts an enforcer and collector for another sailor who runs an illegal money-lending operation on the ship. Lion also learns how to box and manages to fight his way to the Fifth Fleet championships. After winning the championship fight, the captain of the ship uses his influence to place Lion in a very competitive commissioning program. With the chance of becoming an officer, Lion changes his behavior, leading to serious conflict with old allies. He escapes …

Caller Id, Plamen Ivanov Arnaudov

LSU Master's Theses

As one might expect from a young poet writing at the turn of a millennium, recurrent in "Caller ID" is the theme of struggle with literary tradition and of seeing it as both necessary and constricting to the project of forging one's own creative identity. The collision between history and the self is visible in the often conflicted references to great philosophers and poets of the past as well as in the call for renewal of the body poetic after an envisioned 'end of history' marked by creative sterility and exhaustion. The proposed renewal does not entail destruction of tradition …

Out The Loop, Matthew Christian Anderson

LSU Master's Theses

Often referred to as resembling an architectural blueprint, the screenplay is known for its laconic style. Discarding the subjective abstractionism of a more flowery writing, the screenplay's brevity forces the writer to make use of the physical world of the text to display its underlying currents of thought. This trend in artistic representation, of which the influence has been heatedly discussed since the onset of the cinema, is not stagnant but evolving. The screenwriters of today produce their craft with an increased savoir faire not only in relation to plot and form but also in regards to the aesthetics of …

Fame, Sex And Other Types Of Criminality, Rob Finlayson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis consists of two parts. First, a novel manuscript titled 'Fame, Sex and Other Types of Criminality' and, second, an essay discussing ideas used in the creation of the novel.

The novel uses ironic and satiric devices to explore aspects of the culture of narcissism in contemporary Australia. The plot sees a group of characters set out to write a television show in order to achieve their individual goals. An underlying crime subplot results in the characters' desires being thwarted. The novel makes extensive use of references to philosophical, psychoanalytical and political texts to explore issues surrounding desire, the …

A New Map Of The Universe : A Novel And Accompanying Essay, Annabel Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis comprises a novel entitled A New Map of the Universe and an accompanying essay. The novel tells the story of a young architect named Grace Darlowe, who is struggling with her very first project: the design of a house for her lover, Michael. Grace struggles partly because she is uncertain about the future of her relationship with Michael, but her insecurities are more deeply rooted in her troubled relationship with her mother, Madeleine. Embittered by grief, Madeleine blames Grace for her husband Peter's death and resents Grace's choice to follow her father in becoming an architect. Grace is …

Understanding Reflection, David Michael Moutray

Masters Theses

understanding reflection is a collection of poems which examines reflection both as an element of memory and self-image. The thirty-six poems represent devices and conventions employed by Philip Larkin, Donald Justice, Kamala Das, and Adrienne Rich. The style and voice mastered by these four poets served as an inspiring force in my creative efforts. The thesis introduction examines the voices of these poets and their influence on my work -- particularly in respect to my exploration of sexual, cultural and familial tensions.

The introductory essay, in essence, introduces my progression through reflection. Throughout the course of my progression, Larkin and …