English Language and Literature Commons^™

Reaching Reality: Realistic Portrayals Of Racism, Paige Evans

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

This paper argues that genre is essential to the accurate depiction of racism. By focusing on three landmark texts—Richard Wright’s Native Son, Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, and Percival Everett’s Erasure—an overview of the most powerful genres in this discussion is given. The first, Realism, is defined by its determination to show physical reality. The next, Surrealism, is associated with cognitive reality. Poststructuralism, the last genre included, is described as using the cognitive effects of Surrealism to actively commentate and critique the physical realities of Realism. It is this interaction that marks Poststructuralism as the genre best suited …

“Against The Ebony Of Her Skin”: The Impact Of Harlem Renaissance Blues Culture And Literature On The Development Of Womanism, Maia Y. Rodriguez

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

This paper will investigate the ways in which the music and writers spurred by the explosion of African American culture that was the Harlem Renaissance were responsible for propagating the rhetoric and fresh representations of African American womanhood that would later be incorporated into the theoretical framework of black feminism championed by critics like bell hooks and brought into fruition as the recognizable school of womanism by Alice Walker. I will argue, using the literature of “proto-feminist” Harlem Renaissance writers Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston as well as the literature of womanist writers like Walker, that without the Harlem …

Drowning In Sacrifice: Maggie Tulliver’S Role In George Eliot’S The Mill On The Floss, Kami E. Bates

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Upon examining the personal rejection and eventual demise of Maggie Tulliver, the protagonist of The Mill on the Floss, it becomes evident that her death is a sacrifice through which she demonstrates the morality of George Eliot’s religion of humanity. Maggie is a headstrong, intelligent, and memorable character who does not fit into her community and ultimately drowns in a flood while attempting to save her loved ones. The story begs the question: why must such an endearing main character perish? One possibility is that her character flaws make her downfall inevitable. The high-class and hypocritical members of the …

English In The Amazon: Unhomeliness In Evelyn Waugh’S “The Man Who Liked Dickens”, Hannah E. Rau

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In the short story “The Man Who Liked Dickens,” Evelyn Waugh describes a cultural collision deep in the jungles of Brazil. The story’s narrative centers around two men, one of whom is an Englishman taking what he believes to be a temporary exploratory expedition to Brazil. The other, Mr. McMaster, is a half-Brazilian, half-white landowner who loves the Dickens books he cannot read for himself. Henty, the Englishman, leaves home to escape his wife, who loves another man, and goes on an ill-fated mission to explore the unmapped regions of Brazil. Along the way, he loses his companions and ends …

Patriarchy And The Protestants: A New Historical And Feminist Reading Of Marilynne Robinson’S Gilead, Jesse D. Lawhead

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In her novel Gilead, Marilynne Robinson establishes a correlation between the presence of Protestantism and constricting gender roles women experience in the United States. Living in 1956 Gilead, Iowa, seventy-six-year-old Pastor John Ames begins writing to his seven-year-old son in a series of journal entries after he is diagnosed with a terminal case of angina pectoris. In these journal entries to his son, Ames records the histories of his reverend father, reverend grandfather, his own life, and present observations as the beauty of life continues to captivate him. Ultimately he hopes to “to tell [his son] things [he] might never …

A Daughter's Struggle To Individuate In "Einstein's Daughter", Matthew K. Werneburg

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Claudia Smith Brinson’s short story, “Einstein’s Daughter,” is a coming of age tale about a young girl who must delicately navigate her relationship with her mother in order gain independence. The protagonist, who narrates the story, remains unnamed and is defined mostly in reference to her mother’s lineage. The narrator begins the story with the concept that one’s biologically inherited character traits largely determine one’s future. Alluding to Einstein’s theory of relativity, the protagonist uses her extraordinary speed to travel back in time and explore the previous three generations of families on her mother’s side. She uses her observations to …

Captivity Of The Mind: A Postcolonial Analysis Of “The Man Who Liked Dickens”, Juliann R. Phillips

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Ever since the age of Columbus, the ideas of travel, adventure, and exploration have pervaded Western consciousness. In 1933, Evelyn Waugh, a social critic and satirist (Longman 2818), published a short story entitled “The Man Who Liked Dickens” that The Longman Anthology of British Literature describes as “a cautionary tale of what might happen to an ordinary, if wealthy, Englishman venturing ‘beyond the pale’ of European civilization in a disastrous journey to the Amazon” (2818). This chilling story centers around the misfortune of Henty, a rich and uneducated Englishman, who gets swept along on an expedition to the jungles of …

A Queer Poet In A Queer Time: John Milton And Homosexuality, Adam J. Wagner

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Scholar David Hawkes refers to John Milton as a “Hero of Our Time.” Milton’s written works, including his poetry and political treatises, contain cultural and theological insight applicable not only to his 17th Century English culture, but 21st Century American culture as well. As homosexuality continues to enter the public sphere in Western society, many scholars are uncovering past insights about how sexuality has evolved. Milton’s literary texts provide insight into his own sexual orientation and how people viewed human sexuality post-English Renaissance. Homosexuality is a broad topic, but Milton’s works give insight into three main areas—homosexual sex, sexual orientation, …

Of Education: Milton And The Common Core State Standards, Alexander D. Macphail-Fausey

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This essay compares John Milton's views of educational reform during the 17th Century in England to the Common Core State Standards currently being developed in the United States. The essay argues that the Common Core is a postmodern reinvention of Milton's education reform presented in his tract, "Of Education." It outlines the education Milton received, and how that compared to the pedagogy Milton developed and implemented in his own school. Then, Milton's pedagogy is compared to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, specifically focusing on the career and college preparation goals presented by the Common Core and difference …

Evangelicalism And Mental Slavery: A Miltonic Critique, Tyler C. Detrick

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

In the 1960s, Billy Graham and Carl Henry heralded evangelical identity as the crusade that would bolster Christian witness in the modern age. Recent scholarship, however, has labeled the movement a dramatic disappointment. Historian D.G. Hart contends that mainstream Christianity has become so inclusive that the label “evangelical” has ceased to mean anything intelligible, and Mark Noll echoes this critique by labeling evangelicalism a “scandal of the mind.” Christianity’s greatest hope for global gospel witness has proved a dissapointment. One window into this evangelical failure may be found in the prose works of sixteenth century poet John Milton. Far from …

Discourses Surrounding Divided Germany, Timothy Gauthier, Shaune Young, Zachary Weaver

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This discourse analysis examines a collection of short stories, entitled Schattensprünge: Geschichten rund um die Berliner Mauer, spanning the period of divided Germany (1949-1989) and the effect of this era on the mentality of the German people, particularly in the areas of politics, religion, society and economics.

The separation of the country created a culture of fear, struggle and deceit, separated families, encouraged big government secrecy, and proved that socialism leads to economic catastrophe. Both before the Wall went up in 1961 to the time of its destruction in 1989, the German people were faced with having to rebuild their …

Jane Austen's Heroines--And Some Others, Neda H. Jeny

South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL)

Jane Austen’s Heroines--and Some Others

Jane Austen is the earliest English novelist whose novels are still widely read today; in fact, they are becoming more popular all the time.

Of course, there are good reasons for this popularity. Apart from Austen’s creation of unforgettable characters, and her exquisite irony and sense of humor, there is one other thing I’d like to discuss today: her heroines could be called, in a sense, brilliant (and often unorthodox) adaptations of universally recognized types. For example, Elizabeth Bennet is so remarkable a character because she is, at the same time, a sort of Cinderella …

Subversion And Containment In Adrienne Rich’S “Aunt Jennifer’S Tigers”, Samuel G. Turner

BYU English Symposium

This paper explores Stephen Greenblatt's theory of subversion and containment in the poem "Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" by Adrienne Rich. Critics such as Claire Keyes and Cheri Langdell have identified patterns of subversion in Rich's early poetry, but have largely ignored patterns of containment by masculinst powers. I explore subversion and containment in the metrical structure and themes of the poem.

Persuasion And Sexuality, Emily Sullivan

BYU English Symposium

The sexual transformation of the protagonist, Anne Elliot, in Austen's Persuasion shows a self-confidence and independence uncommon during the Regency era. This article studies the sources and factors of this change and why the change is so revolutionary.

Wayward Sons: Modern Mythology In Supernatural, Alison Siggard

BYU English Symposium

Throughout human history, there have been myths that reflect societal ideals. This trend continues in the modern age in a new medium, that of television and movies. Though the way the stories are told may be different, the archetypes and motifs can still be seen in these new myths. In this paper, I analyze the motifs and archetypes used in the television show Supernatural to explore how ancient mythological aspects, including those of the hero's journey, monsters, and death and resurrection, are used and changed for a modern audience. Though classic archetypes are present, this paper also argues that they …

There's A Moral Here: Emerging Ethics In The Things They Carried, Jordan Wright

BYU English Symposium

In this paper, I argue against the mentality that all Vietnam War veterans were irreparably damaged by their time in service. My primary text, The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, is very critical of the war and seems to agree with this mentality. However, I am intrigued by the underlying theme of race in the novel. Kiowa, a Native American character, suffers discrimination from his fellow soldiers. However, with further reading it becomes clear that Kiowa is loved and respected by the men, and that their experiences in the field have helped them transcend racial barriers. By researching everything …

Eve Transcending Demeaned: The Construct Of Female Gender In Paradise Lost, Jillie L. Orth

BYU English Symposium

A contradiction exists in John Milton’s Paradise Lost of Eve being simultaneously demeaned and esteemed. My paper focuses on these contradictions and explores the way in which Eve transcends the demeaned by analyzing the role of the female gender throughout the poem, epitomized by both Eve and female-gendered nonhuman entities: the Earth, the Garden of Eden, Reason, and Sin. This paper also delves into scenes of the poem that may at first seem oppressive for Eve, but that are actually complementary to the role of Eve and the female gender. This analysis serves to then uphold Eve as a representation …

The Modern Walden, Jeffrey G. Wray

BYU English Symposium

“Men have become tools of their tools.” Henry David Thoreau had no idea how much his declaration of the mid 19^th century would become a prophecy of the 21^st. As I entered my newly rented apartment to find a completely Wi-Fi free zone this past semester, I realized just how proud Thoreau would be. This would be my “modern-day Walden.” More out of irony than academic intrigue, I was motivated to read Thoreau’s Walden as I lived my very own. But as I read on, I realized I was part of the transcendentalist movement, just two centuries …

Complacency And Convergence: “Everything That Rises Must Converge", Alex Malouf

BYU English Symposium

Critics, such as Patricia Maida, have described Flannery O’Connor’s “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” as a depiction of mankind’s defects shown through Julian’s fallacies. However, this explanation is far too simplistic. Although her presumption of Julian’s imperfection is most certainly correct, Maida has neglected to ask an important question: what is the barrier that prevents Julian from facing his inadequacies and advancing beyond such a flawed state? “Everything That Rises Must Converge” does far more than merely comment on human imperfection in a fictional setting. Rather, it details the hindering effect of self-image as a roadblock to potential change as …

A Revolutionary Act: Investigating The Draw Of Dystopia In Young Adult Literature, Rachel L. Pullan

BYU English Symposium

The Dystopian genre of the mid-18^th century, with underpinnings of Communism, Nazism, and totalitarianism, was one thing. The Hunger Games is quite another. Or is it? The recent upsurge in dystopia in the younger demographic is undeniable—but why is it so popular with teenagers? George Orwell wrote that “telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” Dystopia's unique brand of “telling the truth”—with its basis in real sociopolitical issues and its development of believable young adult protagonists—is in fact what makes this genre so appealing to a younger readership. Young adult dystopia generally and The Hunger Games specifically defy assumptions …

Calamus: Homoeroticism Or Brotherly Love?, Scott Hill

BYU English Symposium

Walt Whitman was gay. That was one of the first things I heard when I picked up Leaves of Grass and began my study of Whitman. While it wasn’t readily apparent in all of his works, there were some large contenders to back up the assertion, namely his Calamus poems. After I read Calamus I finally understood all of the talk about Whitman’s sexuality because some definitely seemed homoerotic. However, upon further study, I began to change my mind. The more I read over Calamus the less I saw these poems as some big “coming out” for Whitman, and the …

The Treachery Of The Persistence Of Memory: An Analysis Of The Manipulative Narrator Of Edgar Allan Poe's "Ligeia", Chelsea Lee

BYU English Symposium

By taking a narrator-centric approach to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Ligeia,” I analyze the story through the motif of memory and highlight the ways the narrator manipulates his memories to serve his dark desires. Concluding that the resuscitated Ligeia at the end of the narrative is merely a projection, and the Ligeia we are presented with throughout the narrative does not exist outside of the narrator’s memory. I argue that the narrator uses his manipulations of memory to set himself up as the god of his narrative, which reconciles the events of the story with the Glanvill epigraph that …

Signifier, Signified, And The Nature Of Madness In The Winter's Tale, Adam Anderson

BYU English Symposium

This paper explores, through the careful marriage of psychoanalytic and linguistic literary theories, the nature and cause of Leontes’ madness in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Analysis of textual clues through a psychoanalytic lens coupled with the signifier-signified theory of linguistic sign construction reveal nuance - and cause - in the madness of Shakespeare’s timeless character.

Death And Irish Revivalism In "The Dead", William "Drew" Chandler

BYU English Symposium

Who is really dead in “The Dead”? My paper focuses on the concept of literal and figurative death as represented by the characters of James Joyce’s story “The Dead.” I argue that the protagonist of the story Gabriel Conroy is compelled to commit suicide as a means of competing with his wife Gretta’s long-dead lover. Joyce sets up Gabriel as a victim of Irish Revivalism, a backward-looking brand of Irish nationalism that the author rejected. Imagery from the story (and particularly the ending scene) point to Gabriel’s decision to kill himself and his interactions with other characters show us why …

The Will And Poe, Bethanie A. Sonnefeld

BYU English Symposium

Poe's treatment of "Ligeia" and "William Wilson" suggest that Poe believes in the power of the will in overcoming external and internal difficulties. "Ligeia" presents an external conflict with death as she struggles to remain alive while "William Wilson" deals with the internal conflict of tactile delusions. Ultimately, though, the titular characters' strong wills allow them to overcome their adversity, showing the power Poe believes the will possesses.

James Joyce And His War With The Catholic Church, Kimball R. Gardner

BYU English Symposium

At a young age, James Joyce was disillusioned with the Catholic Church, seeing corruption and intolerance toward humanity within the institution. As a result, he stated solemnly of the Church, "I make war with it by what I write and say and do." In his short story "The Dead," we see a complex criticism of the Catholic Church through characterization, imagery, and symbols.

Joyce uses the main character, Gabriel, as the vehicle of the criticism. He portrays the different characteristics of the Church through Gabriel, all culminating in the moment of epiphany at the end of the story, where he …

His Waxen Wings, Madeleine J. Dresden

BYU English Symposium

His Waxen Wings asks questions about redemption and heaven. These are issues that compel me to write a story about a protagonist who believes that erasing pain is the key to happiness, and is willing to fight against the natural order of God’s universe to get it. Wynn is a lonely man and a dreamer—a Byronic hero. As an Asian-American author, I’m entering the field of Byronic heroism to explore my own relationship with isolation and being a cultural outsider. Like Wynn, I have many questions about navigating a culture with expectations and alienating stereotypes for those who stand apart …

Wild Tongues In Education: Anzaldúa, Linguistic Oppression, And Power Culture, Alexandra Harker

BYU English Symposium

The issue of educating immigrants who do not speak English as their first language has been an extremely heated topic for decades. The American education system has chosen to deal with this issue in various ways, including the controversial English Only movement that has been implemented for some time in Arizona as well as other states. This research paper explores how linguistic oppression has occurred and continues to occur in the American education system using Gloria Anzaldúa's piece "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" as a primary resource. Anzaldúa's firsthand experiences with the American education system as well as the …

Of Embers And Glass: A Cinderella Retelling, Jenna Cooper

BYU English Symposium

People are often familiar with the Cinderella tales and retellings of a nearly-perfect, beautiful young woman, and yet think little of the fact that she subjected herself to being a servant for her family. For my master’s thesis, I wrote a Cinderella retelling featuring, Amelia, who is emotionally abused by her family, providing an explanation for her servitude with her low self-esteem. Cinderella is an ideal tale to retell in relation to finding one’s self-worth because of its rags-to-riches theme. While Amelia has a rags-to-riches tale of her own, the real wealth she acquires in the novel is realizing her …

The Treachery Of The Persistence Of Memory: An Analysis Of The Manipulative Narrator Of Edgar Allan Poe's "Ligeia", Chelsea Lee

BYU English Symposium

By taking a narrator-centric approach to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Ligeia,” I analyze the story through the motif of memory and highlight the ways the narrator manipulates his memories to serve his dark desires. Concluding that the resuscitated Ligeia at the end of the narrative is merely a projection, and the Ligeia we are presented with throughout the narrative does not exist outside of the narrator’s memory. I argue that the narrator uses his manipulations of memory to set himself up as the god of his narrative, which reconciles the events of the story with the Glanvill epigraph that …