Arts and Humanities Commons^™

"Permit Me Then Good Friends To Sing": Reflections, Reactions, And Manipulations In Civil War Songs, Joanne Thomas

Masters Theses

Musicologists, folklorists and historians agree that the music of the Civil War was a significant means of communication for Americans in all regions and classes. The popularity of music soared during the war, with songs about the war holding center stage. This study moves beyond the acknowledgment that these songs were an important means of communication to seeing what messages were being communicated by both professional and amateur songwriters. These lyricists criticized and praised behaviors, often pointing out the social acceptance or exclusion that could result from individual behaviors, made assumptions about and passed moral judgements on female, male, and …

Group Cohesiveness Represented Through A Multidimensional Analysis Of Group Improvisations, Rosemary Hakes

Masters Theses

This research examined the particular aspect of group process, group cohesiveness, through an electroacoustic analysis of group musical improvisations. The musical parameter, amplitude, was displayed and compared to independent judges' ratings of group cohesiveness. The interrater reliability for ratings of group cohesiveness vs. noncohesiveness was very high (100%). The interrater reliability for the degree of group cohesiveness or non-cohesiveness was, given the small number of examples used, adequate (80%). The improvisations rated cohesive by the judges also matched in rank order placement. The two dimensions of the amplitude patterns that were relevant to this study were density and form. These …

Symphony No. 1, Randon Myles Chisnell

Masters Theses

Symphony No. 1 is a three-part one movement piece for full orchestra. The harmonic structure is based on an underlying recurring harmonic progression. The melodic elements are based on a theme which is never heard in its entirety, but from which the harmonic progression was originally derived.

The Commercialization Of The Medieval Ideal: The Spanish Forger And Handbooks Of Illumination, Amy E. Dawson

Masters Theses

This study analyzes the commercialization of popular medievalism that occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. By examining the works of a forger of medieval manuscripts this research identifies a market created for works that expressed a particularly "Romantic" vision of medieval society. Moreover, this study offers a discussion of late nineteenth century handbooks that teach techniques of illumination. These works are examined to gain an understanding of the audience for which "medieval" works were created. Publication information reveals the popularity of these handbooks. The. prefatory material examined here pinpoints the idealization of the "medieval" that made handbooks …

Facets Of Courage: Colonel Charles Victor Deland And The American Civil War, Anthony P. Glesner

Masters Theses

This work constitutes a case study of a historical paradigm, that during the course of the Civil War civilians came to view the concepts of valor and virtue very much differently than soldiers, and that this caused tension within communities, both during the war, and after, when civilians continued to judge returning soldiers by an outdated sense of values, while the soldiers themselves, disillusioned by war, only wanted to forget. As time dimmed the memories of war, many veterans began to once again see it in terms of valor and virtue, and thus they reshaped their visions of war and …

On Interpreting Strong Supervenience, Zachary J. Ernst

Masters Theses

Jaegwon Kim's definition of strong supervenience has found application in such areas as the mind-body problem, aesthetics, morality, and the relationship between physics and the special sciences. The main reason for the popularity of supervenience is that it purportedly has a long laundry list of virtues. For instance, it has been claimed that supervenience accounts are non-reductive, capable of empirical verification, simple with respect to ontology, and explanatorily powerful.

In this paper, I examine Kim's definition of strong supervenience, arguing that a fundamental ambiguity in the definition makes it impossible for strong supervenience to possess all of these virtues simultaneously. …

Factors Affecting The Educational Attainment Of African-American Males: An Observational Analysis, Chauncey Williams

Masters Theses

African-American males participation in higher education has declined due to low academic achievement. The research suggests that this low achievement is caused by racism, academic preparation, self-esteem, teacher expectation, and goals. Although I agree with most of the research, I have concluded that along with teacher's expectations, four other factors greatly impact academic achievement. These other four factors are (1) school demographics, (2) curriculum, (3) parental involvement, and (4) peer pressure. These factors were observed through casual conversations with African-American male high school students in a large midwestern area. The observational analysis suggests that improvement in these areas will help …

Muslims And Jews In Thirteenth-Century Valencian Law, Scott M. Gyenes

Masters Theses

When the Muslim kingdom of Valencia was conquered between 1233-1245 during the Reconguista, by James I, a new era was ushered in for the resident Muslims and Jews, because they would now be ruled by a minority Christian government. King James, in an attempt to control the newly settled Christians, issued the law code the Furs of Valencia. Additionally the Furs also established Christian legal superiority over the Muslims and Jewish populations, too.

The Furs of Valencia are highly valuable in the study of law, because of the influence of Roman, canon, and Islamic law. These influences helped slow …

From Sexual Prejudice To Patriarchy And Its Agents: The Radicalization Of Mary Daly's Analysis Of Sexism, Teresa Bellow-Stratton

Masters Theses

This thesis interprets key concepts in Mary Daly's analysis of sexism as they are developed in her first three books. It highlights the continuities more than the discontinuities in Daly's writing. The constant features of Daly's writing are her existentialist orientation and a complex synthesis of ideas that relates the subjective experience of individuals, the objective social circumstances of individuals, and socially constructed stereotypes, especially those stereotypes expressed in religious language.

A Survey Of The Special Learner Training Of Music Educators In Ohio, Dorianne J. Nicholson

Masters Theses

Music educators from the Ohio Music Educators' Association were surveyed to investigate the special learner training received in undergraduate and graduate programs. The survey was designed to provide demographic data and information about course settings for special learner training, observations, "hands-on" experiences, topics covered in both undergraduate and graduate courses, and the need for additional training.

Of the 200 surveys sent to Ohio music educators, 83 usable responses were returned. Twenty-four percent (n=19) of the respondents reported having special learner training in their undergraduate programs. Of these 19, 42% were required to participate in observations, and 24% were required to …

Some Aspects Of The Evolution Of The Medieval Tournament Up To The Reign Of Maximilian I: An Introduction, Kathryn L. Woodruff

Masters Theses

An introductory exploration of the evolution of the medieval tournament up to the reign of Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519) is the subject of this study. This exploration begins with the eleventh-century origins of the tournament in northern France as a military training exercise and continues with a discussion of the evolution of the tournament, by the sixteenth century, into a sporting event and public spectacle with a number of variations including the melee, behourd, round table, and passage of arms.

Some of the influences of the Church and of chivalric literature upon the tournament and upon the knightly class …

A Philosophic Inquiry Into Causation Comparing Diverse Metaphysical Systems, Jane Fisher

Masters Theses

Causation is a problem for philosophers because in explaining causation one must explain reality itself. Since the metaphysical systems of history are carefully reasoned claims concerning reality, they will be employed in this discussion of causation. We will examine the foundational posits of four metaphysical positions -- Buddhism, Platonism, Nominalism, and Realism -- and review the meaning each assigns for causation. We can then observe how the meaning of causation is altered depending on the system of metaphysics that serves as its context.

Portraits Of Progress In New South Appalachia: Three Expositions In Knoxville, Tennessee, 1910-1913, Robert Douglas Lukens

Masters Theses

The following work is an examination of three expositions held in Knoxville, TN: The Appalachian Expositions of 1910 and 1911 and the National Conservation Exposition in 1913. World's fairs were ubiquitous across the United States at the turn of the century, but these were the first to be held in the southern Appalachian region. Thus, they provide a rare opportunity for the historian to examine society in a condensed time frame. Although this method has been applied to other expositions at other times, it has yet to be applied to southern Appalachia.

The goal of this thesis is to ascertain …

The Relationship Between Musical Behavior, Holistic Living, And Perceived Delinquency In Adolescents, Janice S. Schreibman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between musical behavior, holistic living, and self-perceived delinquency in adolescents. One hundred thirty-seven ninth-grade students from two Detroit area high schools were selected for this study. All participants completed two surveys — an adapted version of the Holistic Living Inventory (HLI) (Stoudenmire, Batman, Pavlov & Temple, 1985), and surveys developed by the researcher to measure involvement in music and self-perceived level of delinquent behavior.

A three-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed there were no significant differences between the adolescents' level of involvement in music, the degree to which they practiced …

The Efficacy Of Guided Imagery And Music (Gim) On Life Satisfaction And Self-Esteem In The Elderly, Barbara Ann Steenrod

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) on life satisfaction and self-esteem in the elderly. Twenty-two elderly people took part in the experimental study with 11 subjects in the experimental condition and 11 subjects in the control condition.

The Life Satisfaction Index-A (Neugarten, Havighurst, & Tobin, 1961) was used to measure life satisfaction and the Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) was used to measure self-esteem. Data collected from these instruments revealed a significant increase at the alpha level of .05 on Life Satisfaction Index-A scores in the subjects who received GIM. Self-esteem …

The Relationship Between Spirituality And Depression In Family Caregivers Of The Elderly, Mary Jean Chappel

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spirituality and depression in family caregivers of the elderly. This study sought to test the following hypothesis: The level of spirituality will be negatively correlated with the level of depression for family caregivers of the elderly. A descriptive, correlational design utilizing Neuman's wholistic system theory was used with a convenience sample of 44 family caregivers aged between 32 and 88 years. Self-reporting questionnaires were mailed to clients (identified as caregivers) of a home care agency, a caregiver respite program, and a Parkinson's support group all providing services in Northern …

A Subversive In Hyperspace: C.J. Cherryh's Feminist Transformation Of Space Opera, Susan J. Eisenhour

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Illumination And Reconciliation In Thomas Hardy's Poetry, Mary F. Pottorff

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Models Of Excellence For African American Males At Richland Community College: A Field Study, Luegeanes Mcgee

Masters Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this field study was to investigate the problems that African American males encounter at Richland Community College, Decatur, Illinois. This investigator interviewed thirteen graduates, person-to-person, who graduated from Richland Community College between the years of 1993 through 1995. Twelve themes emerged from this study: academic counselor/communication/ involvement, prejudice/isolation, teacher/student reaction, student seating location, support group(s), role models, mentors, student involvement in college life, educational purpose, programs, and college requirements. Respondents also made recommendations for the success of African American males attending Richland Community College.

Methodology

Person-to-person interviews were utilized in studying this phenomenon because it is …

The Influence Of Higher Education And The Perceived Effects On Women And Their Interpersonal Relationships With Significant Others, Tracy L. Conn

Masters Theses

This study of professional women holding advanced degrees examined the influence of doctoral education and the perceived effects on women and their interpersonal relationships with significant others. It was found that half of the women believed that their level of education affected their relationship status. Though there were a group of women who reported that their level of education limited them in their interpersonal relationships, the majority of the women reported being in gratifying relationships with supportive significant others. Therefore, it is not surprising that the majority of the women reported that their significant other was one of the greatest …

Chaucer's Use Of The Absalom Archetype In The Knight's Tale And In The Miller's Tale, Sharon Hardin

Masters Theses

Although Chaucer did not write The Canterbury Tales until after the death of Edward III, Chaucer's youth was spent in the company (albeit on the fringes) of the war-like king and his war-like sons. Surely, as the young Chaucer performed his duties and perhaps read stories or listened to the gossip spread by servants and courtiers, such as the account of Edward's having ravished a defenseless woman, impressions formed in Chaucer's mind. Perhaps such rumors as that Edward's son Lancaster had designs on his father's throne added to and solidified those impressions into opinion, and a character type was born, …

A Study Of Home Influences On Young Children's Early Literacy, Christy Buehnerkemper-Elder

Masters Theses

Recent research has shown that the degree of children's exposure to and knowledge about reading when they first enter school is highly predictive of future reading achievement. Researchers investigating home influences on literacy have concluded that certain home experiences prior to first-grade affect performance and general abilities in early elementary school. One component of the literacy-rich home environment is that of a parent reading to children. This has been considered by many as a critical component of a home environment which fosters reading skills. Being read to as a preschooler has been shown to be associated with reading achievement well …

A Woman Alone And Writing: Anti-Ideology And Artistic Irony In Writings Of Mary Shelley, Delores Archaimbault

Masters Theses

This study focuses upon the letters, journals and selected fiction of Mary Shelley and reveals that Shelley engages in the processes of anti-ideology and artistic irony to help her explore gender identity. To show her consistent use of these processes, I juxtapose excerpts from her letters and journals with excerpts from her fiction. The fiction selections are narrowed to three: Frankenstein, Mathilda and The Last Man. In addition, I examine her writing and her use of anti-ideology and artistic irony relative to the influences of her significant others: her mother Mary Wollstonecraft, her father William Godwin and her …

"Maybe I Have Character Too": Reconsidering Bernard Malamud's Seductresses, Jeff Vande Zande

Masters Theses

Over the span of Bernard Malamud's career, a more than subtle difference is evident between the seductress of his first novel and his subsequent novels. Since Malamud has been accused by some critics as depicting one-dimensional women, I analyzed the metamorphosis of the author's seductress characters to determine whether the change lends a better understanding to the relationship between Malamud and his female characters. I used Jung's theory of the mother archetype and his understanding of the Lilith legends to analyze the role of each seductress.

In The Natural, the seductress is one-dimensional and plays a destructive role in …

Transforming A Legend: Significance Of The Wandering Jew In Shelley's Work, Matthew D. Landrus

Masters Theses

Although Percy Bysshe Shelley has been recognized for his use of the Wandering Jew, critics have failed to produce a definitive work examining how this biblical legend figures into an understanding of the poet's changing world views. Since a comprehensive analysis was lacking, I studied Shelley's treatment of the Wandering Jew in each work that included the character to determine whether or not a relationship existed between Shelley's management of the figure and the poet's world beliefs. This thesis records the results of that study.

In his earliest works involving the Wandering Jew--those written between 1810-1812--Shelley's treatment of the Wandering …

Edgar In Wonderland: Elements Of Nonsense In Lewis Carroll And Edgar Allan Poe, Martha Taussig

Masters Theses

The names of Lewis Carroll and Edgar Allan Poe would seldom appear together as literary "kindred spirits." While Carroll's imaginative tales have delighted generations of children and continue to provide vivid bedtime story memories, Poe's tales produce equally vivid nightmares. A comparison of the two writers' works, however, leads to the startling realization that despite their apparent differences, Carroll and Poe used the same tools and techniques to explore the same epistemological and existential questions. Like artists dipping into the same colors and simultaneously painting the same psychic landscape, they created eerily similar literary canvasses.

Carroll has long been recognized …

In Pursuit Of A Path: A Collection Of Short Stories About Women, Stacey M. Lafeber

Masters Theses

This collection of short fiction, narration and empathetic characters, through third-person tells the stories of five different women struggling to be themselves, essentially telling the struggle of women and humans everywhere.

These women, who are in the minority--a lesbian, a single career woman, a black woman, an elderly woman and a young college woman--especially represent the wonders and beauties and complexities and difficulties of being a woman. Their obstacles though are society, homophobia, gender, race and age.

However, despite their obstacles and their opponents--themselves, family, friends, co-workers, employers—somehow they reach within themselves and find new strength to emerge from their …

James Welch's Winter In The Blood: Thawing The Fragments Of Misconception In Native American Fiction, Mario A. Leto Ii

Masters Theses

The conventional scholarly view of Native American literature asserts that Native authors often portray their characters as alienated and despairing individuals that are incapable of attaining the means for dispelling those negative feelings. As a result, the characters are presumably destined to forever wander the barren reservation, unable to grasp their fleeting cultural traditions or the modern Euroamerican way of life. James Welch, with his novel Winter in the Blood, challenges that stereotypical scenario by allowing his nameless protagonist to discover a previously unknown link to his traditional Blackfeet heritage. Through the knowledge of his ancestors and the unconscious …

Geoffrey Chaucer's House Of Fame: From Authority To Experience, Victoria Frantseva

Masters Theses

Geoffrey Chaucer's House of Fame is one of the most provocative dream-vision poems written in the fourteenth century. In many ways, it continues to present a serious problem of interpretation to students of medieval poetry. Many critics have tried to arrive at a singular cohesive theory explaining meaning and defining the genre of the House of Fame. However, these attempts have failed and the poem's enigma endures, probably for all time.

The House of Fame seems to elicit many different responses from its readers. While opinions of the poem may vary, the points of argument generally concern the following areas: …

A Contextual Study Of Hair Imagery In The Poetry Of Emily Dickinson, Marlene M. Slough

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.