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Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in American Studies
Who's Laughing Now? From Lovable Lucy To Top-Of-The-Rock Tina: How Women In Comedy Changed From 1950-2014, Caroline Hershey
Who's Laughing Now? From Lovable Lucy To Top-Of-The-Rock Tina: How Women In Comedy Changed From 1950-2014, Caroline Hershey
Honors Theses
This thesis discusses the evolutionary progression of women in comedy from the 1950s to the present day. By looking at the stand-out female comedians and entertainers from each generation, the change from Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy to Carol Burnett as host of The Carol Burnett Show, to Tina Fey and the multitalented new group of women in comedy. By examining the cultural and political climate of the time and how it influenced the unique style of comedy associated with each individual, a clear progression emerges. I would like to present my chapter on Tina Fey to highlight how …
Don’T You Be Telling Me How Tah Talk: Education, Ebonics, And Code-Switching, Laquita N. Gresham
Don’T You Be Telling Me How Tah Talk: Education, Ebonics, And Code-Switching, Laquita N. Gresham
Honors Theses
Ebonics, currently referred to as African-American English (AAE), is a highly-controversial topic inside and outside of the classroom. Many educators, scholars, and legislators debate how teachers should approach students who speak AAE and how they can fill the gap between African-American English and Standard English in a way that disbands the dialectal prejudices that may exist. This thesis focuses on code-switching as a pedagogical tool to help teachers instruct Black students in mastering Standard English on a proficient level, particularly Black students who speak AAE. This study explores current problems and practices in the way that English teachers approach AAE …
The Orphan Train Adventures Series: The Kelly Siblings’ Trek To Responsibility, Ashten T. Redell
The Orphan Train Adventures Series: The Kelly Siblings’ Trek To Responsibility, Ashten T. Redell
Honors Theses
The Orphan Train Adventures, a series of historical novels by Joan Lowery Nixon (1927-2003), is concerned with the responsibility exercised by its child characters during the antebellum and Civil War periods. This thesis examines how Nixon, by illustrating the positive effects of responsibility through her child characters, suggests the value of cultivating responsibility in children of the contemporary period. Nixon’s use of the mid-nineteenth-century setting and the rearing practices associated with this time allows her to demonstrate positive acts of responsibility in her main characters—six siblings sent west from New York City on …
‘My Freedom Is A Privilege Which Nothing Else Can Equal’: The Life And Writings Of Venture Smith And Phillis Wheatley, American Slaves, Donald Holmes Ii
‘My Freedom Is A Privilege Which Nothing Else Can Equal’: The Life And Writings Of Venture Smith And Phillis Wheatley, American Slaves, Donald Holmes Ii
Honors Theses
Slavery in the United States was an evolving institution that lasted nearly 400 years. To understand the colonial era of slavery within the United States, I examine the life and times of Venture Smith, as documented in his autobiography, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa (1798), and that of Phillis Wheatley using The Collected Works of Phillis Wheatley (1988). Both Smith and Wheatley were African-born slaves brought to America during the eighteenth century. In Smith’s narrative, he concludes by proclaiming “my freedom is a privilege which nothing else can equal” (31). This statement …
In Another Day: The Historical And Cultural Relevance Of Gone With The Wind, Cody Rentz
In Another Day: The Historical And Cultural Relevance Of Gone With The Wind, Cody Rentz
Honors Theses
Although it was a massive success in its time and won a Pulitzer Prize, critics today tend to discard Gone with the Wind as a piece of low-quality, racist, historically inaccurate literature. However, the novel, through no intent of its author, parallels the Great Depression in many ways, a fact that likely contributed to its popularity. As such, the novel can be a useful tool in studying the culture of the 1930s. To study the cultural connections, I began by reading the novel, watching the film, and speculating as to the connections to Depression-era culture. I then researched the author, …
Big T-Shirts And Running Shorts: A Female Uniform And Southern Womanhood On The Ole Miss Campus, Abigail Abide
Big T-Shirts And Running Shorts: A Female Uniform And Southern Womanhood On The Ole Miss Campus, Abigail Abide
Honors Theses
This thesis attempts to understand why white female sorority members wear oversized t-shirts as a uniform to their classes and how this outfit affects the construction of white southern womanhood on the Ole Miss campus. In this exploration, I have interview male and female, black and white, undergraduates. I also used an online survey that I separated by sex. I have found that oversized t-shirts are related to ideas of social status, sexuality, class, constructions of ideas about the female body, and southern identity with in the Greek community. These ideas intensely affect the daily lives of Ole Miss students …
Women And Watchmen: Opening Alan Moore's Refrigerator, Sally Ferguson
Women And Watchmen: Opening Alan Moore's Refrigerator, Sally Ferguson
Honors Theses
Zack Snyder's film adaption of Watchmen was my first exposure to the rabid side of the comic book enthusiasts. During that year, I took tottering steps towards comic books and superheroes, but the clamor of frenzied supporters of the film battling zealous purists nearly blew me off my feet. Alan Moore--the name reverberated through the internet and spilled onto the sidewalks in front of the movie theater. I pondered the identity of this individual for an infinitesimal amount of time before contenting myself with Batman for a few years. Years later, various enthusiasts were singing his praises to me, …
Suffering And Coping In The Novels Of Anne Tyler, Camden Story Hastings
Suffering And Coping In The Novels Of Anne Tyler, Camden Story Hastings
Honors Theses
Through an exploration of the causes of the characters' suffering and their mechanisms for coping, this thesis shows that by developing the perseverance necessary to navigate ordinary, everyday obstacles, Tyler's characters cope with extraordinary circumstances causing them pain. They also realize that victories in the little things lead to discoveries about themselves and the sources of their distress. The six novels discussed here include The Accidental Tourist, Saint Maybe, The Beginner's Goodbye, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Ladder of Years, and Breathing Lessons. Nine major characters from these six novels are explored and, while various causes lead to their individual …
The Chamberlain Estate Or: How Investors Will Learn To Stop Worrying And Give Me Money To Make My Movie, Connor King
The Chamberlain Estate Or: How Investors Will Learn To Stop Worrying And Give Me Money To Make My Movie, Connor King
Honors Theses
The purpose of this thesis is to have developed a competent pre-production packet for a feature length indie movie set in the South that would pique the interest of potential investors, while having ascertained the knowledge and skill set to fully realize the script as a leader of the project. Methods to achieve this goal include working on movie sets from all angles to gain first hand experience—from directing to holding sound equipment—and researching the market potential from films of a similar genre to see if this venture is worthwhile financially for myself and other stakeholders. After working on sets …
A Study Of The Life And Legacy Of Son House On The Identity And Character Of Blues Culture, Kyle Crockett
A Study Of The Life And Legacy Of Son House On The Identity And Character Of Blues Culture, Kyle Crockett
Honors Theses
This thesis explores the unique and pivotal life of Son House, a Mississippi bluesman from Lyon, Mississippi, who did much to change the identity and perpetuate the existence of blues music and culture. Furthermore, House was influential in shaping blues music as a medium for historical research, as they revealed a strikingly honest perception of the tumultuous and evil circumstances for African Americans in the South during the early twentieth century. Research on Son House was a unique experience, in that it called not only for academic exploration, but also human exploration. When researching the importance of blues music in …
Physicians, Patients, And Poets, Mary Ball Markow
Physicians, Patients, And Poets, Mary Ball Markow
Honors Theses
I examined the works of William Carlos Williams, Peter Pereira, Rafael Campo, Tory Dent, Lucia Perillo, and John Rybicki to gain a better understanding of the field of medicine. I selected these authors based upon their varied experiences with illness, disease, and loss. Their prose and poetry illuminate the nature of medicine and provide insight into human nature as well. The thesis has been edited for the SMBHC Thesis Repository to protect the copyright interests of some authors and publishers. The table of contents has been edited to reflect the changes.
Generational Dream: First Generation American Citizens And Their Relationship To The American Dream, Anna A. Mintz
Generational Dream: First Generation American Citizens And Their Relationship To The American Dream, Anna A. Mintz
Honors Theses
The term the "American Dream" was coined in 1939 by James Truslow Adams and has undoubtedly become an integral part of the American ethos. This narrative has brought thousands of immigrants to American shores with the promises of prosperity and success for centuries. Yet in 2014, it must be questioned whether this dream still holds significance for the young people of this country. By studying first-generation American citizens, whose parents did not grow up here, it can be ascertained how relevant this narrative still is and the sort of power that it retains. The following research describes my interactions with …
Disaster, Displacement, And Voluntourism: Helping Narratives Of College Student Volunteers In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Mary Elizabeth Smithson
Disaster, Displacement, And Voluntourism: Helping Narratives Of College Student Volunteers In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Mary Elizabeth Smithson
Honors Theses
This thesis is an ethnographic study of volunteer tourists' motivations for contributing to the ongoing recovery of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, LA. While it has been nearly a decade since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, there is still much work to be done. The urgency that once accompanied the chaotic environment of a post-disaster landscape does not exist anymore. In effect, the strategies for recuperating from the hurricane's impacts mirror this shift from an urgent disaster state to a stabilized recovery state. Instead of issuing direct relief to people, recovery efforts are presently focused …
Gravity In A Jar: A Poetic History Of The People, Places, And Events Of Detroit, Morgan Mccomb
Gravity In A Jar: A Poetic History Of The People, Places, And Events Of Detroit, Morgan Mccomb
Honors Theses
In this thesis, I explore the history of the city of Detroit in order to better understand the factors that have led to Detroit's current state. The research materials I have used are standard history books as well as newspaper articles, journals, and published interviews with former and current Detroit residents. I have incorporated this research into the construction of both a strict research element as well as poetry in order to present varying accounts of the city of Detroit beginning in the early 20th century and continuing into the present-day. I have found that the history of Detroit has …
Developing The Marine Energy Sector In Scotland: A View From The Islands, Thomas Neal Mcmillin
Developing The Marine Energy Sector In Scotland: A View From The Islands, Thomas Neal Mcmillin
Honors Theses
In a world searching for environmentally-friendly alternative energy options, some people are looking to the ocean for answers. Through cutting-edge technology, engineers are devising ways to capture electricity from the power of the waves and tides. More than any other nation, Scotland is trying to develop a vibrant, domestic marine renewable energy hub. Instead of following the extraction-only model, Scotland seeks to achieve the entire ocean energy supply chain within the nation. An important first step towards this goal was the creation of the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) in Orkney. The center hosts the leading test berths for tidal …