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From Linguistic Domination To Counter-Power: The Weaponisation And Reappropriation Of Language In Shakespeare's Drama, Md. Abu Bakkar

Journal of Language, Literature, and Arts

Studies of language and power in Shakespeare usually treat colonial, psychological, political, and familial domination as separate problems belonging to separate plays. This article asks what happens when the target of linguistic domination takes up, repeats, or withholds the discourse through which domination is exercised. It proposes linguistic counter-power as a comparative analytical concept: a change in who can define, command, or be believed within the dramatic world that outlasts and exceeds the speaker’s own act of resistance. The concept is distinguished from discursive resistance, linguistic agency, counter-discourse, and resignification, and is operationalised through three tests: uptake, durability, and structural …

Book Review: Vigil: A Novel, Stephen Woodgeard

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

George Saunders’s Vigil is presented as a sharp, unsettling novel about climate ethics, corporate power, and the stories people use to excuse harm. The review argues that the book’s magical-real realist structure turns a dying oil executive’s final night into a moral reckoning, while also showing how family myth, corporate language, and public discourse shape denial. It also notes that the novel’s allegorical design can feel heavy-handed at times, but its central strength is its forceful critique of complicity and the difficulty of moral awakening.

Meet Phoenix, Feng Jiang

Persimmon Creek

One act play

Conservative Demons And Countercultural Creators: Hellish Societies In The Dark Or Modern Age Of Comics, Andrew Burt

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

In the Hellblazer and Sandman comic books, depictions of hell rely on the writer’s perspective and the decade they are writing because they account for contemporary folklore, political situations, and cultural conventions. This paper examines how hell appears as a parodic version of the regular world in these texts, accounting for the dark age of comics from the 1980s, where grim and gritty topics prevailed. While borrowing from Judeo-Christian conceptions of hell, demonology, and fears of everlasting torment and damnation like many other representations throughout the centuries, these comics also took elements from the creator’s personal lives and hopes for …

The Engine Of Innocence: Discovery And Invention Of Eden In John Crowley's Engine Summer, Ian Berger

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

The article explores John Crowley's Engine Summer (1979) as a retelling of Genesis from the perspective of Adam and, in its depiction of Eden as the emblematic likeness of innocence throughout American history and Western Civilization—small, false, and ultimately unsustainable in light of modern experience—confronts the reader to "move beyond nostalgia" and challenge the myth of innocence.

“Salvation Must Be Communicated”: An Ecumenical Reading Of The Place Of The Lion, Avery-Claire Galloway

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

While previous scholarship has cautioned against a reductive tendency in the analysis of Charles Williams’s work, this paper offers an analysis that explores the importantly multiplicable nature of meaning used in one of Williams’s most bizarre novels, The Place of the Lion. A close reading of a remark from the novel’s heroine that “salvation must be communicated” provides a lens by which the entire novel can be read, revealing how Williams presents a specific, culture-centered version of Christianity where communication leads to a salvation that is more cultural than doctrinal, more than the erasure of sins, but an experience …

“A Story Must Be Told”: Narrative Engagement In The Lord Of The Rings, Matthew Thompson-Handell

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Much has been written on the allusions to untold tales in The Lord of the Rings and on the effects generated by such allusions. Any judgment on the importance of these effects should be treated with caution, as little work has been done to explore just how these effects operate on a reader. Nor have these effects been placed in a wider context that considers them alongside other aspects of narrative engagement. Much work could be done on the engagement generated by narrative techniques such as suspense, curiosity, and surprise - one example is provided here with an analysis of …

With Axe, Knife, Sting, And Tooth: The Enduring Wounds Of Gawain And Frodo, Roderick E. Pratt

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Among the possible Arthurian source texts for The Lord of the Rings, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight stands out as a likely inspiration. Tolkien engaged closely with the Gawain-poet for over 50 years, and as Cossio and Fimi recently demonstrated in their archival study of the W.P. Ker Memorial Lecture, he did so concurrently with his writing of The Lord of the Rings. Tom Shippey, John Fyler, Miriam Miller, and Roger Schlobin, among other scholars, have speculated on Sir Gawain’s influence for Tolkien’s work. Miller makes the case that Sir Gawain is a definitive source for …

The Rhetoric Of The Road: The Romantic Journey As A Map Of Myth, Memory, And Majesty, Joe R. Christopher

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Scholar Guest of Honor Address at Mythcon 54, Weatherford OK, July 2026. This wide-ranging talk covered Dr. Christopher's personal and family connections with both the Mythopoeic Society and the city and state in which we met, as well as his decades of scholarly interest in the Inklings, tying it all together through Romanticism and the connecting theme of the Mother Road, Route 66.

Corrections:

On page 8, Dr. Christopher traveled to his first Mythcon from Texas, not Oklahoma.

On page 14, the quotation from Tolkien is on p. 241 in Green and Hooper.

On page 16, the biography should list …

Decreasing Barriers To Learning: Understanding Cognitive Load In The Modern Classroom, Rory Cantwell

Virginia English Journal

This article applies Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) to investigate current classroom uses of technology and how these may support or hinder student learning. First, the article explores the current understanding and application of CLT. Then, focusing on cell phone and laptop computer use, it examines how current evidence surrounding the most prevalent educational technologies may suggest strategies for classroom technology use. The article concludes by offering implications for current practitioners, including a decision tree educators can use to determine situational classroom technology usage.

Moving Forward In Education, Reese Whitlock, Hannah-Evette Burruss, Kiley Mccleary

Virginia English Journal

This article examines the growing presence of artificial intelligence in secondary English Language Arts classrooms and argues that educators must approach AI integration through a human-centered framework. While technological advancements continue to reshape literacy instruction, the role of teachers as guides and relationship-builders remains essential. Drawing on educational research and classroom examples, the article explores how tools such as generative AI and audiobooks can support student learning when used intentionally rather than as replacements for critical thinking or teacher involvement. The discussion highlights concerns surrounding overreliance on AI, including diminished writer’s voice, reduced cognitive engagement, and ethical issues such as …

Forest Ecology And Fantasy Fiction: Morris, Tolkien, Le Guin (2026), By Dion Dobrzynski, Martin Simonson

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Martin Simonson, of Forest Ecology and Fantasy Fiction: Morris, Tolkien, Le Guin (2026), by Dion Dobrzynski

The N-Word As A Comma, Deshawn Vega

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Deshawn Vega is a Biology major from Boston, Massachusetts. Drawing on his experiences as a mixed-race Black man, his essay examines racism, cultural appropriation, and the ways prejudice can operate both inside and outside the home. Because part of his family is not Black, Deshawn has experienced racism in complex and sometimes unexpected ways. He describes the essay as “an opportunity for me to tell my story and exemplify the ways in which racism has impacted not only myself, but many others just like me.” The project’s creative freedom allowed him to combine personal narrative with a broader analysis of …

The Sad Beige Trap: Why Bold Aesthetics Stay Online, Kauthar Maruf

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Kauthar Maruf is a Biology major from Boston, Massachusetts. Her essay began with an effort to find colorful inspiration for her family’s living room and developed into an investigation of the internet’s neutral “Sad Beige” aesthetic and the contrasting popularity of “Brat Green.” As she encountered increasingly similar homes, products, and social-media posts, Kauthar began asking whether personal preferences are genuinely individual or are shaped by algorithms, corporations, economics, and online culture. Conducting her own survey allowed her to compare her initial assumptions with the perspectives of others. She explains that the project encouraged her to begin “looking beyond the …

When The People You Love Are No Longer Down The Hall, Diego Hernández Hernández

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Diego Hernández Hernández is a Computer Science major and prospective Mathematics minor. Originally from El Salvador, he grew up primarily in Revere and Holbrook, Massachusetts. A first-generation immigrant and nontraditional student, Diego returned to school seven years after graduating from high school. His essay examines how communication between emerging adults and their families changes after they leave home, drawing particularly on his relationship with his mother. To make that relationship visible to readers, he incorporated a series of their text messages into the project. Diego explains that this essay “was special to me because it revolved around my family and …

Trans Joy And The Lesson Of Authentic Living, Emma Victra Danvers

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Emma Victra Danvers is a Psychology major from North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Her essay investigates trans joy and the research demonstrating the positive effects of gender transition. As a trans woman writing during a particularly difficult period for the transgender community, Emma wanted to examine joy not as an escape from political realities but as a meaningful source of strength and resilience. She explains, “The more I started writing it, the more I realized how much I have to be happy about. I found that trans joy again that I lost for a little bit.” The project also helped Emma …

Hamburgers: Great For Dinner, Bad For Writing, Jameison Wirta

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Jameison Wirta is from Somerset, MA, and is a Psychology major with a Chemistry minor in the Pre-Medical Program. For Jameison, this essay was especially important because it completely transformed the way he thinks about writing. “I used to hate writing,” he explains, “but what I really hated was the cookie-cutter, check-the-box process I was always confined to. Learning to set myself a bit freer in my writing was an absolute blessing, and now I love it.” He hopes to share that same sense of freedom with others through his work. This semester was Jameison’s first time back in a …

To Speak Is To Survive: Language, Loss And Holding On, Mathilda Sanon

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Mathilda Sanon is a Psychology major with an English minor from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Mathilda explains that this essay was deeply personal to her because it is tied to her family, her culture, and her own experiences of language. She thought often of her grandmother, who has lived in the United States for decades but has never let go of Haitian Kreyol. “Watching her speak her language so freely while I have spent years adjusting mine to fit into certain spaces really stuck with me,” Mathilda reflects. She says that she did not want to write about language loss as some …

The Dystopian Landscape Of Short-Form Content, Leslie Payne

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Leslie Payne is a Psychology major with a Communications minor from Vienna, Virginia. Leslie explains that when her class began discussing the impact of social media, she immediately knew what her essay would focus on. “It felt like the only possible thing I could write about,” she recalls, noting how strongly she felt about its pervasive effects yet lacking the structured expression to articulate them before this assignment. She was particularly interested in the overlap between short-form content, identity formation, and media cycles, and writing this paper gave her both the research and framework to better understand those connections. She …

Saint Joan Of Arc And The Modern Transgender Liberation Movement, Nick King

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Nick King is a Classical Languages and History major from Haverhill, MA. For Nick, this essay became a source of both comfort and empowerment, particularly within the context of our current political climate. He explains that “being a trans person is hard, and we need more role models of resilience,” and this writing project allowed him to give voice to those complexities. Written during his second semester of college, Nick notes that the atmosphere of political strife pushed him to pour even more passion and conviction into his work. This essay is especially meaningful to Nick because it reflects the …

Compelled By Darkness: Batman, Mental Instability, And The Blurred Line Of Heroism, Chloë Lucien

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Chloë Lucien is a Music major with a Dance minor from Mattapan, MA. Chloë explains that this essay was deeply personal because Batman’s story has always been more than a comic book origin to her. “Batman himself has become a mirror I could look into, a reflection of my own journey from pain to purpose,” she shares. Writing about Bruce Wayne allowed her to explore how mental wounds can coexist with, and even fuel, acts of courage, challenging the simplistic “hero-versus-villain” narrative while bringing self-acceptance to her own ongoing work of healing. For Chloë, the essay became more than an …

Film's Depictions Of Mental Illness, Mandy May

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Mandy May is a psychology major from Canton, CT. Mandy’s purpose for writing her essay was to spread awareness of the impact that negative portrayals of mental illnesses in the media have on audiences. She shares that, as a psychology major, she has always been “hyper-aware of the way films exaggerate and emphasize unrealistic stereotypes surrounding mental illness.” Mandy feels that this essay gave her the opportunity to “finally research more about the reality of these depictions, and to hear about how people with mental disorders are affected by negative portrayals.” With a growing interest in child psychology, fueled by …

Music And Mental Health, Yelena Hernandez Bonilla

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Yelena Hernandez Bonilla is a public health major from Chelsea, MA. As an undergraduate student, Yelena began reflecting on her school experience and noticed how much music has helped her “whether feeling happy, stressed, overwhelmed, or just needing a moment to unwind.” She decided to write this essay because she sees how important music is for many students. Apart from just listening to music, Yelena has played the piano and guitar for many years. Her music has served as a crucial outlet and has become “a major part of who I am because it is something I love and enjoy …

A Conversation Amongst Trees, Bella Brown

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Bella Brown is an environmental science major and a biology minor from Glastonbury, CT. Bella says that she is “super passionate about nature and finding new ways to preserve and understand it” and when she was presented with the task of writing a research paper she knew that she wanted to further explore a podcast episode about trees communicating through fungi, or “talking trees.” She says it “seemed like a huge breakthrough on understanding how our forests function as complex ecosystems.” Bella also notes that one thing she loved about writing this paper was the freedom to choose whatever topic …

2024 Editor's Introduction, Lauren M. Bowen

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

No abstract provided.

Shakespeare Adapts, Grace C. Tiffany

Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference

No abstract provided.

Shakespeare’S Troilus And Cressida And The Genre Of Comical Satire, Robert B. Pierce

Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference

No abstract provided.

The Case Against The Five-Paragraph Essay, An Tran

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

An Tran is a double major in finance and psychology from Boston, MA. An notes that she came from an “underfunded elementary school” where “the curriculum has been rooted in standardized tests, and preparing for them in order to bring in funding.” Given that, she argues that “our value, as students, has become less about the investment of an upcoming generation and more about how much money we could bring in from our test scores.” An notes that the five-paragraph essay “is a core component of this pattern, and it hinders students from truly learning the craft of writing.” She …

Life's A Fashion Show (If You're A Teenage Girl), Madeline Murphy

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Madeline Murphy is a double major in physics and art from Dorchester, MA. Fashion is a hobby of Madeline’s, she felt it was important to look back and “explore the role of fashion in the world of middle and high school, to help myself and others better understand our outfit choices: a task we complete every day, yet maybe don’t analyze enough.” Madeline considers fashion to be an art form and often compares fashion trends to art movements. She enjoys sewing and has been working on enhancing her garment-making skills. Madeline enjoys painting portraits and reading books, particularly those related …

Breaking Free From Gender Norms: Adolescent Constructions Of Femininity Through The Patriarchy And High School Musical, Ina Tolentino

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Ina is a double major in nursing and psychology from Elk Grove, CA. Ina “always had trouble embracing myself with the way masculinity and femininity are pitted against each other” and found meaning in writing this essay, as they believe “there’s so much value in painting ourselves however we want … regardless of the expectations of gendered roles.” As a non-binary individual, Ina feels that writing this piece was a healing experience and a reminder to embrace all aspects of who they are. They love reading and writing, which has led to a bedroom flooded with different kinds of books. …