Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Embodied Feminist Authorship In Stage And Screen Adaptations Of Mary Shelley’S Frankenstein, Abigail Marie Hoehn, Leah Grace Ollie

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Mary Shelley’s feminist ideals and lived experience have been illuminated by years of adaptation, retelling, and counter-discourse that have told her own story within that of her acclaimed novel Frankenstein. In this thesis project, we argue that through the process of reproducing the narrative of Frankenstein, such adaptations — on both stage and screen — have memorialized authorial identity on Shelley’s behalf, as well as highlighted her feminist outlooks on birth, motherhood, loneliness, and womanhood that live on in her creative works. By first surveying a selection of films that tell the story of both Frankenstein and its storied author, …

Reconstructing A Voice In The Diaspora: Language And Hegemony In Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's Dicteé, Ryann Bahnline

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

“Reconstructing a Voice in the Diaspora: Language and Hegemony in Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's Dicteé” is a close reading into the experimental work Dicteé by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha. The text explores the interplay of language, identity, and cultural hegemony and primarily focuses on how Cha deconstructs language and narrative to critique colonialism, patriarchy, and the diasporic identity that generations feel after losing their voice. The fragmentation of the text mirrors the effects of diasporic trauma, specifically with symbolic violence and the fragmentation of the self. Pierre Bourdieu, Antonio Gramsci, and Victor Turner’s theories — symbolic violence, cultural hegemony, and …

Sidewindings, Jeff Marvel

Graduate Thesis Collection

A memoir cataloguing the impacts of my late-onset Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at the age of 26, in which I attempt to realize the ways in which my sense of self, and sense of the world around me, has been altered or disfigured by this hardly-visible disease.

Songs Through Statues: The Mask Of Sorrow For Baritone, Accordion, Guitar, Piano & Wind Duo, Alexander T. Schmidt

Graduate Thesis Collection

The Mask of Sorrow is a twelve-minute song written by me, Alexander Schmidt, that utilizes a variety of techniques that I have learned over the course of my study in graduate school. The piece utilizes leitmotives in a unique and interesting way via the usage of set theory to represent the text in musical form, produce a constant development of material, and encourage a musical narrative to supplement the text. This analysis moves through the whole of the form and documents its usage of timbre, motive, harmonic set, and much more, to showcase the means of which all the techniques …

Social Connections: The Role Of Community In Johannes Brahms's Viola Writing, Alex Beauchamp

Graduate Thesis Collection

Despite a negative opinion of the viola held by musicians and audiences alike in the nineteenth century, Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) wrote orchestral, chamber, and solo pieces that highlight the viola. We can trace an affinity for this black sheep of the string instrument family beginning with his Serenade No. 2 in 1859—which uses the viola as the primary melodic voice—and extending through his Clarinet Sonatas in 1894, which Brahms also authorized for viola performance.

Throughout his life, Brahms was close with several violists, three of whom inspired Brahms to write substantial music for the viola. Joseph Joachim (1831–1907), a famous …

Cue The Meet Cute, Sarah B. Cocks

Graduate Thesis Collection

Margery has always loved three things: romantic comedies, predictability, and the legacy of her family's video rental store. But when her beloved, yet struggling, small-town movie rental shop is threatened by her parents' impending divorce, her carefully curated life starts to unravel. Determined not to let her dream job fade into nostalgia, she launches a summer-long community dating event to save it. There’s just one problem: she’s never been on a date before.

To her dismay, her coworker-slash-cinema-nemesis, Henry, considers himself a dating expert—and he’s all too eager to lend a hand.

Layered with pivotal early-2000s cinematic references, sharp banter, …

The Spartan Mirage; A Study Into Spartan Women, Maya Rose Sharon

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

A myth has been perpetuated about the Greek city-state of Sparta which has shrouded it in a mirage. This mirage can make it difficult to determine what Sparta was truly like, which includes the reality of its women. Scholars tend to present Spartan women within extremes that either showcase them as no different from other women or as the ones holding all the power. Spartan women were key in passing on important values to their children such as to die bravely in battle or not come home at all. By looking into Spartan women, we can find strong evidence that …

How Mental And Emotional Stress Impacts Vocal Phonation In Adolescent Singers, Samantha M. Thielen Pak

Graduate Thesis Collection

This study examines the relationship between mental/emotional stress and vocal phonation abilities in high school choir students. 17 pairs of General Health Questionnaires and Vocal Screenings were completed by four student participants. These questionnaires and screenings were completed on a weekly basis. Within the General Health Questionnaire, there were several negative correlations with “Concentration” from the General Health Questionnaire results, those being “Loss of Sleep” (r = -0.547, p = 0.023) and “Losing Confidence in Self” (r = 0.575, p = 0.016), as detailed in Table 3. The largest correlations to “Concentration” are “Under Strain” (r = -0.742, p = <.001) and “Feeling Unhappy” (r = -0.746, p = <.001). From the documented screenings, there was very little impact noted on the phonological abilities of the participants. Presence of “Non-Musical Sounds” had a strong correlation with “Tone Quality” (r = 0.683, p = 0.001), showing that there was an increase of non-musical sounds when tone quality had decreased in score.

“Death Leaves A Heartache No One Can Heal:” Musical Subversion In The Irish Caoineadh Tradition, Charissa Joy Garrigus

Graduate Thesis Collection

My thesis details the subversive, inherently feminine nature of Irish caoineadh (keening). This research focuses on how a practice with pagan, druidic roots survived in a culture that was experiencing intense religious and structural upheaval including the arrival of Protestant English settlers, tensions with the Catholic church, and longstanding pagan traditions. I contend that early modern Irish lament (caoineadh/keening) was inherently subversive due to its feminine liminality, its origins from druidic ritual, and its musical, poetic, and lyrical content that was often condemnatory of patriarchal Christian and English power structures. This thesis investigates three main topics occurring from ancient times …

Concerto For Flute, Wind Ensemble, And String Quintet, Catherine A. Hoelscher

Graduate Thesis Collection

Concerto for Flute, Wind Ensemble, and String Quintet is a 15 minute work created to demonstrate the virtuosic abilities of the flute. This thesis contains a 47-page score separated into three movements, along with a list of its instrumentation and statements of gratitude. Alongside the score there is a brief overview of the piece with excerpts from the score and descriptions of its musical themes. The overview compares and contrasts the themes and the three movements.

From The Four Winds: A Suite For Orchestra And Jazz Musicians, Thomas James Johnson

Graduate Thesis Collection

From the Four Winds is a four-movement suite for orchestra and jazz musicians. Work on the first movement started in early 2021, and work on the other three movements began in fall 2023. All of music is based on four pitches, B, C, Db, and Eb, which are usually used as chord roots. The concept of four winds was inspired by Chinese culture, but the relationship between the music and the four compass directions was from the perspective of the Midwestern United States. Two movements have sections for jazz style improvisation, and two were influenced by musical minimalism. The final …

Chatgpt And Biblical Studies, James F. Mcgrath

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

The use of computers in the study of theology has a long and positive history, yet the level of concern in response to the latest AI chatbots is understandable. This article explores how education and preaching need to adapt to this new technology and what its limitations are, as well as how it may make a positive contribution. The study concludes with a brief exploration of the kinds of sermon materials GPTs produced for the author when given prompts about the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4.

Percussive Practices: Scholastic Programming Of Pageantry Indoor Percussion And Concert Percussion Ensembles, Robert A. Halpner

Graduate Thesis Collection

This thesis focuses on an evaluation of the spring practices of percussion programs in the greater Indianapolis area. This qualitative research study was designed to study and analyze the differences in programming of pageantry indoor percussion and concert percussion ensembles at the high school level. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the rationale and educational practices behind school percussion programming of either of these two ensemble types. This thesis attempts to answer the primary research question: what musical or educational philosophies guide the reasoning behind determining if a particular school participates in either concert percussion ensemble or pageantry indoor percussion during …

Letters Between Lovers: A Wartime Woe A Romantic Seven Scene Dance, Rachel Gruszecki

Graduate Thesis Collection

Letters Between Lovers: A Wartime Woe is a ballet that tells the tragic tale of Genevieve and Raymond. Once childhood best friends, their bond grew into a romance that is quickly ripped apart when Raymond is drafted into World War II. Genevieve must fight for her love of Raymond, as well as within the war itself to get him back. This ballet instrumentation features a brass quintet, strings, piano, and various percussion.

Charting The Stars: Hypatia Of Alexandria For Solo Violin And Chamber Wind Ensemble, Amanda S. Ellery

Music Graduate Theses

This is a score and analysis of Charting the Stars: Hypatia of Alexandria which is for Solo Violin and Chamber Winds. This piece is a single movement tone poem representing Hypatia of Alexandria’s life. The piece has six sections, and each represents a different part of Hypatia’s life, leading to her violent murder. The first section represents Hypatia’s childhood learning. The second section represents Hypatia growing into a respected philosopher. Next represented is Hypatia’s connection to Neoplatonism, followed by a section that represents Hypatia’s life as a public philosopher and political advisor. The fifth section shows political and religious conflict …

Into The Center: A Descriptive Study For Understanding The Post-Pandemic Tutor Experience At Butler University’S Writers’ Studio, Hannah Salsbery

English Graduate Theses

University writing centers have become an important part of higher education, as the peer-to-peer tutoring model allows for student writers and tutors to collaborate throughout the writing process in ways that promote individualized learning. The Butler University Writers’ Studio is no exception; however, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic can still be felt on it, as on many university campuses and student populations. This descriptive project uses focus groups and survey data to suggest ways the tutoring experience at the Butler University Writers’ Studio has changed since the pandemic. While the tensions that may find their way into a writing …

Music In The Sky Like Bombers: Representations Of Airplanes In Interwar Futurist Music, W. E. Cooke

Music Graduate Theses

Since its founding in 1909 by F. T. Marinetti, the artistic movement of futurism gathered momentum as a politically charged avant-garde that challenged tradition and day-to-day life while promoting nationalism, war, and complete artistic expression. Marinetti and his artistic movement followed fascisms’ slow march to power through multiple aesthetic phases, beginning with the study of movement through plastic dynamism (1909-1919), engaging with speed and controlled power through machine aesthetics (1920-1929), cumulating with the more mystical aeroaesthetics (1929-1944), which Marinetti described as “the daughter of fascist aviation and Italian Futurism.”

This posturing was not done merely in support of fascism. In …

A Zipfian Distribution Of Sets In Honor Of The James Webb Space Telescope, Timothy D. Blaisdell

Music Graduate Theses

A Zipfian Distribution of Sets in Honor of the James Webb Space Telescope is a trio for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano. The piece aims to celebrate the accomplishments of several international teams responsible for the completion of the JWST, as well as honor the spirit of human space exploration as it works to reveal the universe to us. Each movement is titled after one of the images that NASA released in July 2022. The first is The First Deepfield which captures the broad expanse of space full of speckled galaxies twisting under the effects of gravitational lensing. The second is …

Understanding Travis Bickle: The Incel Prototype, Abigail Lydia Oakley

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In this essay, I analyze the character Travis Bickle from the 1976 film "Taxi Driver." I use theory from and about masculinity in the 1970s, context of the Vietnam War, psychology of incels, character analysis of Travis, critical reviews from the time, and primary sources from incel forums to connect Travis to the modern day incel.

Sport, Community, And Racial Progress In 1950s Indianapolis: The Story Of Crispus Attucks High School Basketball, Jacob A. Sherer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Sports in our societies play a more crucial role than often given credit. Teams of any level can significantly impact the community they come from and those they make contact with. The all-Black Crispus Attucks High School basketball team is a prominent case study for this argument. Their state championships in 1955 and 1956 in Indiana put how sports can impact ways of thinking on display. A team led by future hall-of-fame player Oscar Robertson, the Attucks Tigers stormed to victory in games across the state. Indiana had long been influenced by the Ku Klux Klan activity that resurfaced in …

“Freedom, You Have Turned From Me!” Exploring The Facts Vs. The Fiction Of Sisi In Netflix’S The Empress, Anastasia Marie Raebel

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

As one of the most beautiful women of her day, head-strong, and in opposition to the strict traditions of her court life, Empress Elisabeth of Austria - also known as Sisi - is remembered for her confidence and free-spirit. While Sisi’s image is admired throughout Austria (and Bavaria) on postcards, posters, and knick-knacks, she is lesser known to American audiences. During her life, she was often criticized for leaving her responsibilities with the court to go on long trips or for prioritizing her love of Hungary over the Austrian people. However, after the Empress’s tragic death, her public image changed; …

Coffins And Conditioner, Mackenzie Scott

Graduate Thesis Collection

Coffins and Conditioner is part one of a modern fantasy story follows a latine, nonbinary hairdresser named Mura Saiz whose entire clientele consists of supernatural entities like werewolves, vampires, and fae. When a fight breaks out in their salon and catches the attention of a new surveillance program meant to destroy those very same supernatural entities, Mura realizes that they must give up their own peace of mind and physical safety to protect their clients. During their journey, Mura must learn how to juggle the secrets they keep within the salon with their now-suspicious chosen family while also making time …

Lived Musical Experiences Of Autistic Adults, Anetta Fortner

Graduate Thesis Collection

This research set out to explore the relationship between autistic individuals and music. Current research on autism and music education focuses primarily on the accounts of teachers, parents, and other stakeholders, and does not center autistic voices. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What can we learn from autistic adults, specifically those still involved in music, about their lifelong experiences in music and music education? (2) What insight can we gain from these experiences to create more inclusive environments for autistic individuals? To answer these questions, autistic adults who self-identified as still involved in music completed a short …

Repatriation In The Modern Museum World: Practical Problems Surrounding Decolonization Of Collections, Rachel M. Sudbeck

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Museums are home to many artifacts that allow us to learn about and understand people from around the world. However, many artifacts kept in Western (primarily North American and European) museums have origins steeped in colonial ideas of cultural superiority and collections acquired through ethically questionable means. Many institutions have been working to decolonize their collections by evaluating their objects' cultural origins and repatriating some pieces when possible. By repatriating (returning) objects of cultural patrimony as specified by laws such as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), museums uphold their ethical duties and improve the quality of …

Guns Over Kids: How Florida Lawmakers Trade Child Human Rights For Financial Gain, Brynn Rose Baker

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In 2023, school shooters killed or injured 249 individuals across 346 school shootings. These school shootings typically spark temporary outrage and public calls for action. In response, the National Rifle Association (NRA) weaponizes mental health, isolating these violent crimes and barring effective and popular gun control measures. The NRA has infiltrated American politics and become a powerful lobbying force, primarily through their support of pro-Second Amendment candidates via donations and campaigning on their behalf. After the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Florida, a group of survivors created the activist group, March For Our Lives (MFOL), which encourages …

Actualizing Unwritten Operatic Conventions: Oral Transmission And The Work-Concept, Jessie Miller

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Controversy around the actualization of unwritten conventions in operatic performance has become an inescapable reality over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The “work-concept”, the term coined by Lydia Goehr, is the strongly held conception in Western music that pieces of music are concrete and immutable, and therefore should not be changed. It is because of this concept that performance controversy exists; a performance that is not viewed to have represented an opera “correctly” is responsible for infringing on the central governing tenet of Western art music performance. I seek to prove that the diametrically opposed ideas of …

Greta Gerwig And The Chick Flick Revival, Syndey Walker Neis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The "chick-flick" is derived from decades of movies known as "woman's film". It's evolution is most obvious in the creation of female-centric movies that place a primary focus on platonic and familial relationships, such as the "Female-Friendship Film". This subgenre was wildly successful until it became co-opted by the Romantic Comedy during the late-90s and early-00s and ultimately transformed into the "Chick-Flick" we are most familiar with today. Gerwig's three films re-establish the "Chick-Flick" as a film that de-centers romantic relationships in favor of developing the female protagonists in terms of individuals and through their platonic and familial relationships. My …

Reconstructing Roman Corinthian Identity, Sophia Loeta Graham

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This project focuses on the ways that social and cultural identity are projected through material culture in Roman-occupied Greece, specifically in the Corinthia region. Using anthropological and archaeological theories on identity, systems, and creolization, I develop an interpretive framework for understanding how Roman Corinthians used material culture to project their identities in a mortuary context. This project is inspired in part by pre-existing research on the fluidity of cultural identity in Roman-occupied Greece but is designed to fill a gap in that scholarship that does not inspect the ways that identity can be displayed in a mortuary context. I use …

The History Of Gender-Biased Clinical Testing And Its Effects On Pharmaceutical Drug Efficacy, Kathryn E. Olson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Concerns about potential risks that clinical research could impose to women of childbearing potential have long dictated pharmaceutical clinical trials. In the United States, women were not allowed to participate in clinical trials for decades, which has had major implications on the pharmaceutical industry today. Due to this oversight, men and women are commonly prescribed drugs at the same dosage despite many sex-specific differences in how male/female bodies respond to drugs during exposure. It is now known that female bodies metabolize drugs much slower than male bodies, which means that women who are prescribed drugs at the same rate as …

Here, There, Everywhere, Aanuoluwapo John Adesina

Graduate Thesis Collection

"Here, There, Everywhere" chronicles the tumultuous journey of Jon, a twenty-something Nigerian international student residing in the United States. Scarred by a harrowing incident of abuse at the tender age of five, inflicted by the landlord's daughter, Jon grapples with the enduring trauma and its profound repercussions on his existence. The novel delves deep into Jon's psyche, unraveling the intricate threads of his past trauma and its pervasive impact on his relationships, aspirations, and sense of self.