Waiting Rivers,
2026
Kennesaw State University
Waiting Rivers, Samuel B. Darden
FUSION
This piece was inspired by the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” by Langston Hughes. Assigned in my African American Literature (ENGL 2300) class, Hughes’s poem stuck with me, prompting me to create my own unique version, one encompassing all marginalized groups. This poem personifies the struggle for rights for African Americans (and others within the diaspora), and the long, arduous, and selective process of becoming recognized as equal, a fight ongoing to this day. The separation of each group (not only by race, but also by gender) is explored throughout the piece, touching on important historical movements, such …
Editorial Note And Author Biographies,
2026
Kennesaw State University
Editorial Note And Author Biographies
FUSION
A note from the Editors on the current issue, along with author biographies.
The 'Thing Itself': Virginia Woolf's Materialism,
2026
Brigham Young University
The 'Thing Itself': Virginia Woolf's Materialism, Kathryn Andronowitz
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
Cover And Front Matter,
2026
Brigham Young University
Cover And Front Matter
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
The Faith Crisis As Death: Grief In Gerard Manley Hopkins's "Terrible Sonnets",
2026
Brigham Young University
The Faith Crisis As Death: Grief In Gerard Manley Hopkins's "Terrible Sonnets", Kaden Nelson
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
The "Family Of Things": Mary Oliver, Anthropomorphism, And Conflicting Approaches To Spirituality In Nature,
2026
Brigham Young University
The "Family Of Things": Mary Oliver, Anthropomorphism, And Conflicting Approaches To Spirituality In Nature, Sophie West
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
The Bower Of Bliss As An Allegory For Ireland,
2026
Brigham Young University
The Bower Of Bliss As An Allegory For Ireland, Katherine Ries
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
Full Issue,
2026
Brigham Young University
The Metamodern Aesthetic As Reconciliatory Theology In Gilead,
2026
Brigham Young University
The Metamodern Aesthetic As Reconciliatory Theology In Gilead, Henry Purser
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
Tolkien's Joyful Sorrow, The "Gift Of Tears" Of Medieval Mysticism, And John Donne's Sermon "Jesus Wept",
2026
Friedrich Schiller University, Jena
Tolkien's Joyful Sorrow, The "Gift Of Tears" Of Medieval Mysticism, And John Donne's Sermon "Jesus Wept", Giovanni Carmine Costabile
Journal of Tolkien Research
At the field of Cormallen, the emotion of joy felt by the victorious Hobbits is so great that Sam wonders whether everything sad will come untrue. At the same time, their joy is so great that it is described as "poignant as grief". Dimitra Fimi in 2017 pointed out Tolkien's probable indebtedness to Christian Orthodox tradition of "charmolype", or joyful sorrow. Another relevant parallel of the intermingling of joy and sorrow is the eleventh century Norman monk and abbot John of Fécamp's notion of the "Gift of Tears" (Gratia lacrymarum) from God, which brings true happiness. …
An Appalachian Expression Of Rootedness: Exploring Rootedness In The Writings Of Simone Weil And Wendell Berry,
2026
Brigham Young University
An Appalachian Expression Of Rootedness: Exploring Rootedness In The Writings Of Simone Weil And Wendell Berry, Luke Bratton
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
No abstract provided.
Hot Ears,
2026
University of Mississippi
Hot Ears, Anna Thomas
Landshark Literary Review
A short creative non-fiction piece about the daily battle of living with depression. This work explores the diagnosis of depression through a singular moment in time, taking a scene and expanding it into it's higher meaning. This piece also develops part of the support system an individual with depression relies on, as well as an intimate relationship between college students.
Landshark Literary Review,
2026
University of Mississippi
Landshark Literary Review, Hanny Zermeno
Landshark Literary Review
The poems of this selection delve into the complexities of familial relationships as well as the internal battles of insecurities brought on by the complications of a lack of harmony and love primarily displayed in families. Other poems in this selection describe the love between two people and the physical and emotional effects of yearning and their human connections.
Through Peaks And Troughs: Visualising The Rhythmic Sentiment Of The Lord Of The Rings,
2026
The University of Osaka
Through Peaks And Troughs: Visualising The Rhythmic Sentiment Of The Lord Of The Rings, Dimitra Vogatza
Journal of Tolkien Research
This study offers a fresh look at the widely discussed binaries in The Lord of the Rings and examines whether their structure can be visualised. Building on previous research that identifies Tolkien’s prose as structured by emotional and moral shifts, this study makes visible how these changes happen throughout the trilogy, through quantitative means. A transformer-based language model was employed and fine-tuned on a Tolkien-specific corpus to align with Tolkien's semantics and symbolism. The primary methodology for highlighting these binaries is a Tolkien-specific sentiment analysis. A semi-guided approach, selecting positive and negative sentences from the work as contextual reference points, …
Best Integrated Writing Spring 2026 - Complete Edition,
2026
Wright State University - Main Campus
Best Integrated Writing Spring 2026 - Complete Edition, Wright State University School Of Humanities And Cultural Studies, Tracy Smith, Kristie Mckiernan
Best Integrated Writing
Best Integrated Writing includes excellent student writing from Integrated Writing courses taught at Wright State University.
An Eternity Of Time: The Overlook And The Search For A Queer Haven,
2026
Wright State University
An Eternity Of Time: The Overlook And The Search For A Queer Haven, Christian Hunt
Best Integrated Writing
Hunt argues that The Shining critiques traditional patriarchal and heteronormative structures by portraying the Overlook Hotel as a space that exposes and resists the violence and repression tied to masculinity and queer identity. Through Jack Torrance’s psychological unraveling, the novel reveals how societal expectations of heterosexuality contribute to personal and familial destruction while suggesting the possibility of alternative, queer forms of existence beyond those constraints.
“Neither Living Nor Dead”: From Nazgûl To The Sídhe In Tolkien's The Fellowship Of The Ring (1954),
2026
University of Vigo
“Neither Living Nor Dead”: From Nazgûl To The Sídhe In Tolkien's The Fellowship Of The Ring (1954), Noelia Ramos
Journal of Tolkien Research
This study explores the influence of Celtic supernatural folklore, particularly the banshee tradition, on Tolkien’s depiction of the Nazgûl in The Fellowship of the Ring. Using W.B. Yeats’ Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888) and the Celtic Twilight movement as a comparative framework, it analyses “A Short Cut to Mushrooms” and “A Knife in the Dark”, focusing on liminality, spectral presence, and supernatural dread. These parallels are further contextualised through reference to early Irish texts The Táin Bó Cúailnge and The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn, central works within the Celtic literary compilation known to Tolkien …
Session Iiia: Education And English Presentation 2 - Fantasy Audiobooks And Medieval Aural Tradition,
2026
Gardner-Webb University
Session Iiia: Education And English Presentation 2 - Fantasy Audiobooks And Medieval Aural Tradition, Morgan C. Lilly
Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference
Examines how medieval aural traditions shape fantasy audiobooks.
Voice And Pain: Representations Of Disability In Adaptations Of “The Little Mermaid”,
2026
University of Mary Washington
Voice And Pain: Representations Of Disability In Adaptations Of “The Little Mermaid”, Ace Molloy
Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects
Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 story, “The Little Mermaid,” is a popular fairy tale that has been adapted several times by writers, filmmakers, and game developers. It is one of the few fairy tales with explicit portrayals of disability; the mermaid in the tale is nonspeaking and experiences chronic pain, as well as being a mermaid—a nonnormative figure who is aligned with disability. This paper looks at the ways that the mermaid is portrayed in literary, film, and new media adaptations from a disability-justice perspective. Examining multiple representations of the character, I argue that while feminist adaptations erase her disability and …
"Bibliotherapy In Counseling, Spirituality, And Self-Care-How Reading The Right Book Can Heal",
2026
LCBOE
"Bibliotherapy In Counseling, Spirituality, And Self-Care-How Reading The Right Book Can Heal", Michelle P. Cross
English
Bibliotherapy can be used as an integral component of mental and emotional self-care, spiritual growth, and professional therapy. Reading can be instrumental for sharpening mental acuity, alleviating depression, and furthering spiritual journeys. Bibliotherapy can provide a modicum of treatment to those who cannot access traditional clinics or religious/spiritual centers.
