Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Woman's Heart: Masters Thesis, Marylynn Gwatiringa

Theses

A Woman 's Heart is the pairing of two one-act plays to make a statement about women's resilience and their great capacity to forgive and love in the aftermath of a storm. Lynn Nottage's Poof! showcases a woman's plight and her eventual triumph over the hardship, whilst John Cariani's Her Heart continues the journey to show a woman opening up and loving again.

Parental Absence, Benjamin Brainsby

Theses

The two short stories presented herein feature wildly different narratives operating under a common thematic umbrella; absent fathers.

While not always the central focus of the narrative, or the principle motivation of the protagonists, the fathers' absence in both stories casts a long shadow that defines their sense of happiness. Characters in both_ stories suffer from a feeling of incompleteness that is rooted in the longing for the absent father.

1n both cases the father's absence is beyond the protagonist's control and as such they must react to the affect it has on their lives and the situations that it, …

Why Moms Drink, Anne Freeman

Theses

The personal narratives and poems contained within this thesis explore one of the most primal and powerful relationships in the human experience, that of a parent and child. As a mother of a young boy, I have found, and continue to find my greatest strength, so1Tow, and inspiration in watching him grow.

The collection as a whole does tell a complete story, although not necessarily a chronological one. It is strongly influenced by the creative nonfiction work of David Sedaris. Like Sedaris, these essays portray everyday family relationships, often in less-than- flattering ways. In a similar style, these essays do …

The Understudy, Linda Denise Harris

Theses

This story is a first person true account of love and loss between two sisters. The sisters are separated by seven years and other siblings, yet the bond formed in childhood is strengthened through the trials and tribulations of life. When the older sibling learns that she has terminal cancer she wants her sister by her side.

From the perspective of the younger sister, the story weaves from past to present, back and forth, as each substantial scene unfolds. Through her eyes, the younger sibling sheds light on the early years and the reader learns what it was like growing …

My Family, My Open, Deborah A. Herzog

Theses

This collection of poems and non-fiction work focuses on self-reflection and family with all its perfections and imperfections. I believe this collection mirrors the essence of the writer and gives insight to the loved ones who shaped that life. It is a tapestry of emotional revelation derived from introspection and observation of the world.

The author has experienced the joy of reading for over forty years and spent many hours journaling throughout her life. The empty nest syndrome was the catalyst to pursue studies in creative writing. It became a cathartic exploration of life that blossomed into a work that …

Upon Wakening, Joan M. Lovelace

Theses

Upon awakening is a memoir essay that details the free fall from my prime into the disease of addiction, which took everything from me but the one thing I willingly would have given: my life. Instead, alcoholism dragged me on a horrifying public journey that began in a secret place in my mind.

At first, only I knew the trouble I was in, as I began drinking from the liquor bottles in the wet bar of our home. As my craving for booze grew beyond my control, I lost my career as a television journalist, my self-respect, my dignity and …

Beginnings, Ending And The Path Between, Daran Kappauff

Theses

This collection of flash fiction stories focuses on the idea that, if left unchecked, the world we live and work in can not only have dramatic effects on the way we live our lives, but also on our personality and type of person we may become. It also looks at how an individual 's personal life often parallels their professional life. And lastly, it stands as a shining testament to the notion that reality is often stranger than fiction.

All of the characters and almost all of the situations and stories presented here are based true events. What little fiction …

Eternal Note Of Sadness, Pyra Intihar

Theses

This collection of poems and short stories is an attempt to answer what Matthew Arnold calls "the eternal note of sadness." The thesis contains poems, two short stories, and one personal narrative. While each of these can be read with different interpretive slants, I choose here to show how each work in this collection is a response to the eternal note of sadness. The poems and personal narrative in the first part of this collection are concerned with the writer's quest, and l will go into depth discussing each of these poems and the narrative because I think they directly …

Petals And Mortar, Amanda Rose Bramley

Theses

The stories in this collection focus on the little, almost insignificant symbols that appear in our daily lives. People, in general, don't notice how certain objects gravitate toward us. The symbols in my life and in my writing appear in places and forms unexpected: a bird outside of a windowsill, flowers that grow by themselves in our backyards, a scarf purchased at a discount store, domino tiles in a common game. How easy it is to take pieces of our lives for granted. They can, for many, hold an almost transcendental power. They provide landmarks for the steps we choose …