Fiction Commons^™

Letter From The Editors, Diamond Line Editors

Diamond Line Undergraduate Literary Magazine

No abstract provided.

Moment To Rest, Austin Hughes

Diamond Line Undergraduate Literary Magazine

No abstract provided.

Diamond Line - Spring 2024, Diamond Line Editors

Diamond Line Undergraduate Literary Magazine

No abstract provided.

Wordflight, Joey Gonnella

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring subjects revolving around the nature of images, language and their subsequent disseminationn through time, this paper weaves together seemingly unrelated topics from the hot air balloons of the Franco-Prussian war to the envelope poems of Emily Dickinson.

The Fuller The Bucket Is, The Harder It Is To Fly, Jacob Littlejohn

Theses and Dissertations

My abstract paintings are informed by the momentary sublime rooted in the vastness of the natural world. Based on imagined and real landscapes, the work evokes minutia and phenomena that affect our perceptions of reality, and signifies a longing to reconnect with the natural world.

Proud Men, Jacob Appet

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is the beginning of a novel about a disturbed leftist podcaster that goes missing. His co-host and childhood best friend reflects on their complex relationship before deciding to go search for him. It is a literary mystery with noir elements, that explores themes of political morality, toxic masculinity, and Jewish identity.

Heirloom, Mercedes P. Frias

Theses and Dissertations

This novel excerpt follows a mother, Luz, and her daughter, Rayneli, while they explore womanhood, generational trauma, and family dynamics.

Lost In The Times Of Yesterday And Other Stories, Anes Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Lost in the Times of Yesterday is an ongoing collection of fiction that features short stories who, while varying differently from one another, are all intertwined by the themes of immigration, post-colonialism, and Arabic and Arab-American identity, aiming to capture the diverse orchestra of Egyptian and Egyptian-American voices through the lens of magical realism. Some examples: the grief of a village girl and her attempt to understand her father’s ghost; an Egyptian-American actor whose slow physical disappearance leads to an examination of identity within contemporary performance; and the life of boy born with chestnut wings in a Brooklyn apartment.

Through Undertale To Interactive Storytelling: The Effect Of Game Design On Secondary Students’ Perceptions Of Creative Writing, Terrell Page Jr.

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Videogames have emerged as a globally influential storytelling medium, as evinced by the success of story-driven games like Undertale, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and The Last of Us II. This medium needs creative writers who can learn to think like game designers. But, recognizing that not all creative writers will pursue a career in game design, this project studied the impact of thinking like a game designer on the way creative writing students approach their craft. Drawing on a variety of videogames and genres, this project focused on the potential of world-building and player choice to …

In The Woods, Aron Liebig

Fiction MFA Theses

The anthology of 11 short stories delves deep into the intricacies of identity and the enigmatic landscape of the American South. Each narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the region, exploring the tangled webs of relationships, the weight of tradition, and the enduring struggle for self-discovery. In rural Mississippi, Kerry navigates the minefield of personal insecurities amidst simmering familial tensions, while Chris confronts the ghosts of his past, testing the resilience of their bond. Meanwhile, tensions escalate in a casino encounter between Javi and a predatory figure, unearthing deeper layers of trauma and prejudice, challenging societal norms and personal beliefs. …

As You Lay There In Your Blood, Eden Shulman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As You Lay There in Your Blood is a novel consisting of six interconnected stories, as well as a novella. The novel follows Levi Sterne, a Jewish bodybuilder in rural Colorado, who deals with issues surrounding mental illness, family history, and the legacy of trauma. The novel explores themes of religion—particularly contemporary modes and forms of Judaism—as well as the relationships people develop from traumatic and difficult pasts. The novel follows Levi from his childhood and details the moment at which, at age 15, he’s abandoned by his mother. The stories then follow other important moments in Levi’s life, including …

Child And Adolescent Literature: An Exploration, Debra D. Murphy

ATU Faculty OER Books and Materials

No abstract provided.

The Generational Identity Crisis: A Novel, Hankun Chen

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis is a novel set in 2032 China, where people are experiencing huge social declines and identity crises, and additionally, a technology to digitize consciousness is gaining popularity. The protagonist of the novel lose contact with his friend in the digital world, and he receives an anonymous indestructible jar one day with a label that keeps changing to direct him to different locations. In his search for his friends and the secret of the jar, he realizes that the clues are all related to things he is familiar with from the old days. During that adventure, which occurs to …

Downstream, Jay Green

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Kristen Gentry’S Mama Said: A Review, Lili Gourley

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Depths Of Perception, Connor Matthews

All Theses

This thesis contains the first four chapters of a novel named Depths of Perception (working title), as well as a short critical essay detailing the process of creating the chapters as well as other literary influences that impacted the construction of the work. The focus of this thesis is on the use of shifting point of view to tell a story from a multitude of character’s perspectives. While this is not a new concept, I aim to derive a deeper understanding of the importance of being able to access the perspectives of a large cast of characters. Allowing the reader …

Storytelling In Interior Design: A Hospitality Case Study Based On Avatar: The Last Airbender, Katelyn Isaacson Bauer

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Storytelling can function as a crucial element in interior design, offering a powerful means to captivate and engage individuals within a space. The allure of storytelling lies in its ability to evoke emotions, convey messages, and create memorable experiences. Humans are naturally drawn to narratives that transport them to different worlds, evoke nostalgia, or inspire. This fascination with storytelling has led to a notable increase in themed spaces across various industries, from amusement parks and hotels to restaurants and retail spaces. The integration of storytelling into interior design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of a space but also serves …

Winter's Threads., Andrew Wesley Messer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

WINTER’S THREADS is a fiction novel set in a world of fantasy and wonder, largely inspired by the works of such auspicious and acclaimed writers as JRR Tolkien and Andrezj Sapkowski. The fantastical setting allows the reader to view a mystic world that deals with the humanity and beauty found in all things, utilizing pastoral imagery and humanistic language. The goals of this novel are to create an enticing world with magic and lore, as well as a compelling and relevant narrative that tackles themes of injustice, family, and duty. Challenging the racial essentialism that can often be present in …

The Impersonation Artist: A Novel With Critical Afterword: Displacement And Dissent In Fiction And Art., Flora K. Schildknecht

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of a creative project, The Impersonation Artist: A Novel, and a critical afterword, “Displacement and Dissent in Fiction and Art.” On a narrative level, The Impersonation Artist engages the question of how, and if, participatory art can reveal and intervene in oppressive conditions. The novel employs a stylistic methodology in which the use of multiple narrators and narrative fragmentation formally gestures toward the complex dilemma of how artists might intervene in contemporary problems in the face of conflicting ideologies and ever increasing precarity. The novel follows three characters: an environmental activist; a young man veering towards …

Love Like Damocles, Kashi Bakshani

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Shelter, Martin Dolan

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

An Interview With Kristen Gentry, Jess Marinaro

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Seeking The Unspoken: Examining Queer Subtext In Storytelling, Morgan Stevens-Reidy

Postgraduate

This exegesis aims to examine the techniques of subtext that are used to determine creative decisions in narrative structures on various forms of fictional screen media with a specific focus on storytelling in an animation context and the creative mediums used to form it. The major focus of subtextual storytelling that is investigated during this exegesis is the themes and narratives used throughout the LGBTQ+ community and the diversity of its influences upon hidden signs within stories, which was studied through the process of creating the foundation of a short film with the use of methodological approaches such as practice-led …

Paradoks Determinisme Dalam Film Tenet (2020) Sebagai Refleksi Kesadaran Manusia Akan Waktu, Farobi Fatkhurridho, Suma Riella Rusdiarti

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Time is a complicated object of study because understanding time is closely related to periodization, history, and memory. Film is a medium for presenting manifestations of motion and time in visual products that can be captured by human senses. Tenet (2020) is a film that displays temporal dimensions in terms of both creative ideas and packaging through its cinematography and narrative structure. Tenet presents the idea of overlapping time consciousness of the past, present, and future. A revolving door machine in the film is used to signify the paradox of determinism or the condition of characters suffocated in a time …

"Give 'Em Something To Talk About: Love, Generosity, And Wonder In The Portrait Of The Artist Workshop", Florence Gonsalves, Matthew Vollmer

Journal of Creative Writing Studies

This article argues for the employment of an alternative approach to the traditional writing workshop model called “Portrait of the Artist” (POTA). First, we acknowledge the historical and theoretical underpinnings of the dominant Iowa model, and engage with scholars who practice pedagogies that challenge the “gag-rule.” Second, we introduce POTA, which dismantles and reimagines the foundations of a traditional creative writing workshop by emphasizing curiosity rather than suspicion, dialogue rather than imposed silence, process over product, and person over piece. The outcomes lead us to conclude that POTA workshops are necessary, especially for marginalized student-writers most harmed by antiquated practices …

If Only, Cherish Collins

Master's Projects

If Only is an Afrofuturism, psychological thriller novel that explores different concepts around memory and defining moments in life. It is written in the second person to allow the reader to become more connected to the main character as they grapple with the question, “If you could change a single moment in your life, knowing what the outcome would be, would you do it?”

Visions Of Inclusivity: A Screenplay Focusing On Women, Sexism And Film During The 1990s, Abigail Hayman

Master's Projects

In the 1990s film scene, Margaux Archambeau leaves for New York City to uncover the truth about her late mother. This research summary, "Visions of Inclusivity," acknowledges and carefully researches women's struggles and triumphs. This essay intends to share information about the film industry and the inappropriate treatment of women so that men and women in the film industry can support one another.

The Farm, Justin Morris

Master's Projects

Synopsis:

’The Farm’ is a psychological thriller series inspired by the recent folk horror revival. We follow a suburban family who begin to lose their trust in each other as they fall further into peril on a strange isolated farm. When Brian, the patriarch, repeatedly puts his family in danger to satisfy his own ego, he forms a rift between him, his wife Madison, and son Charlie that quickly spirals into delusion, blind accusation, and paranoia. Desperate, they seek the help of Elias, the owner of the farm with his own tenuous grip on reality, and his quiet daughter, Emma. …

The World Of Marubia: A Writer’S Perspective Into Building Worlds Using Transmedia Aesthetics, Diego Lucca Espinosa

Whittier Scholars Program

This Senior Project is a Generative and Research Thesis based around the techniques and aesthetics of Transmedia storytelling that are used when dabbling in World Building. It includes three interconnected creative pieces: 2 flash fiction stories and a short screenplay, all revolving and connected to the story world of my creation, Marubia. These stories exist in a world going through a technopoaclypse; Robotic creatures wield magic against their Human brothers in arms, slaved to the command of a Dark God. The Transmedia Aesthetics coined by Professor Geoffrey Long, specifically Resonant Simple-Story Myths, Fractal Storytelling, and World-Centric Narrative Design were pivotal …

Neo-Noir Investigations: The Art Of Directing And Writing An Interactive Experience, James Phillip Koehler Jr.

Honors Projects

This project intends to explore the process behind writing and directing for an interactive experience; video games, specifically. A team, including artists, programmers, and a musician, was organized to work toward the completion of a playable demo. Included in this project is a video of the playable demo, alongside various other completed materials that were unable to be included.