English Language and Literature Commons^™

The Many Paths Of Thoreau’S Writing: A Response To Buranelli’S Critique, Stephen Conde

The Criterion

Henry David Thoreau, a transcendentalist famous for his writings and poetry, lived and wrote during the mid-nineteenth century. Some of his most enduring works include his memoir-like book Walden, which documents his experience living remotely in nature as well as his essay Civil Disobedience, which offers his critiques of society and the government. The scholar Vincent Buranelli, who lived roughly a century after Thoreau, wrote “The Case Against Thoreau” in 1957. His essay criticized, among other aspects, the hyperbole and complexity in Thoreau’s writing and his anarchistic urgings. However, analyzing Thoreau’s works and their context, and consulting the works of …

Light And Darkness In The Epiphanies Of Henry James’ Heroines, Rose Grosskopf

The Criterion

The famed author Henry James, who lived from 1843 to 1916, occupies a middle-ground between the romantic authors of the nineteenth century and the modernists of the twentieth. Two of his novels, The Portrait of a Lady and Washington Square, demonstrate his evolving sensibilities, as he bridges the traditional and the modern by marrying romantic stories with unconventional conclusions. His technique is present in his use of light symbolism, which, due to an etymological connection from the era of Enlightenment, has accompanied moments of learning and understanding. Through his symbolic and literary gestures, James explores a nuanced definition of “brightness,” …

Song: The Emotional Storyteller In The Tales Of Edgar Allan Poe, Sadie O'Conor

The Criterion

Edgar Allan Poe argues in his Marginalia column that “indefiniteness is an element … of the true musical expression.” Music is a powerful device for expression because of its intangible yet deeply rooted connection to human emotion; it captures ideas that cannot always be put into words. In a similar way, we can never truly “hear” music if it is only described on a page. Poe used this phenomenon on a literary level to illustrate a character’s deep, almost indescribable longing for something that they would rarely reveal to the other people in their stories. The references to instrumental music …

“Oceania Is Us:” An Intimate Portrait Of Chamoru Identity And Transpacific Solidarity In From Unincorporated Territory: [Lukao], Maressa Park

The Criterion

Guåhan’s history of Spanish colonization and inflicted genocide, Japanese occupancy, and American militarization poses profound effects on CHamoru land, rights, physical health, and language survival. These include instances of “celebration colonialism” such as Liberation Day, in which CHamorus celebrate the date that the United States dropped 124 tons of bombs on Guåhan to liberate them from the Japanese ([lukao] 44). Through an analysis of his 2017 anthology from unincorporated territory: [lukao], this essay examines how Dr. Craig Santos Perez casts light on the complex inheritance of native CHamorus via an intimate portrait of diasporic CHamoru identity. Furthermore, I argue that …

Narrator’S Attitudes Toward Slavery In Oroonoko And Robinson Crusoe, Meghan Gavis

The Criterion

Oroonoko by Aphra Behn and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe are narrated by speakers encountering enslaved people in South America during English imperialism. The narrators’ respective sentimental and practical voices are manifested through the details of their narratives: Behn’s speaker tends to dwell on romantic points, like Oroonoko’s relationship with his lover, while Crusoe favors pragmatic details, like the quantification of supplies. The narrators’ perspectives color their relationships with enslaved individuals. Behn’s narrator’s relationship with Oroonoko is filtered through her romantic lens, enabling a dynamic and communicative relationship with the Prince that exhibits her sympathy towards his enslavement. In contrast, …

The Battle For Love Under The Governance Of Strict Social Codes, Nina Masin-Moyer

The Criterion

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale” presents a grand, romantic, and heroic story between Palamon and Emily, who pray to Roman deities that represent the values and qualities that were important to men and women of that time. Conversely, “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope is a mockery of this heroic style and tells a satirical tale of Belinda and Baron, each of whom pray to the powers of mystical creatures and trinkets, which are tangible manifestations of the rules that govern a gendered social order. Although Pope’s story is a satire of tales such as Chaucer’s, both comment …

Death Positivity: A New Genre Of Death And The Genre Function Of Memento Mori, Melony Elsie Del Real

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This article explores Caitlin Doughty’s “death positivity” as an evolved form of the medieval memento mori, and how this medieval genre serves as a genre function for current day thanatophobic audiences. This is specifically done by analyzing Doughty’s book titled Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, as well as some of her other death positivity mediums. By modeling her rhetoric of death positivity after memento mori, Doughty can effectively deliver her anti-death fearing message to the very audiences that fear death.

Furthermore, analyzing Doughty’s rhetoric as operating within the genre function, a concept put forth by Anis Bawarshi, …

Returning To Imaginative Literary Texts In The Composition Classroom: A Case Study Of Greek Literature And Their Potential In First-Year Writing, Esther M. Gabay

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The basis for the argument—a return to literature in first-year college composition—stems from a composition debate that emerged in the 90s that suggested instructors of composition refrain from using literature in their writing courses. The thesis proposes that literature, specifically Greek literature, be re-purposed and integrated back into first-year writing college courses. Chapter one contextualizes the historical debate and proposes imaginative literary texts return to first-year writing. The second chapter presents cross-disciplinary advantages, looking closely at the value of teaching literature in composition classes as a tool for building prior knowledge, developing cross-disciplinary insights and access into other disciplinary conversations, …

Thomas Kent's Paralogic Rhetoric As A Framework For Analyzing Corporate Social Responsibility Discourse, Donald E. Penner

English Department Theses

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) scholarship increasingly uses rhetorical theory as a method for analyzing contested meaning between communicants. However, the classical and social constructivist rhetorical theories typically used for analysis do not address the primary cause of contested meaning – relativism. Conversely, such theories often contribute to a dualistic worldview by utilizing internally imagined conceptual schemes for analyzing texts. This thesis proposes Thomas Kent’s paralogic rhetorical theory as an alternative method of analyzing CSR texts, and focuses on three common areas typically utilized in rhetorical analyses of CSR texts: text reception, the rhetorical situation, and genre. Where paradigmatic rhetorical theories …

Music And Infrasound In Horror Movies - How They Can Be Used To Enhance Horror Films, Isabella Sills

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The purpose of this project is to research and investigate the effect music and sound effects have on horror films, specifically, the natural phenomena known as infrasound will be explored in depth. Just outside our range of hearing at 20 Hz, infrasound may not be audible, but can still cause physical reactions such as anxiety, uneasiness, and extreme sorrow (Morrow, 2017). I am looking to create a horror comic in the form of a video that heavily relies on musical cues and the incorporation of infrasound to build up parts of the story told in the form of a comic. …

Curating Digital Pedagogy In The Humanities, Katherine Harris, Matthew Gold, Rebecca Frost Davis

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This is the published introduction to the born-digital, open-access, peer-reviewed *Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities*. More a rationale and scholarly study of both Digital Pedagogy and DPiH in general, this introduces articulates the uses, theory, rationale about digital pedagogy as it has been shaped in U.S. institutions since the explosion of Digital Humanities in 2009. As a separate field now, Digital Pedagogy is built on the generosity of its practitioners, but saving the *stuff* of teaching and pedagogy is difficult. The introduction historicizes this now-published project, its open peer review process, and its development in the early years (starting in …

A Poetic Ethnodrama: Discussing The Impact Of The Pressure To Publish On Creative Writers' Production, Abby N. Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the presence of the pressure to publish while in college as an undergraduate or graduate student, and the impact that pressure has on students’ ability to produce creative work. After interviewing participants, the researcher created an ethnodrama to best represent participants’ emotions and unique experiences with publishing while in school. An examination of the literature reveals that master’s-level students are often overlooked in scholarly research on the subject of publishing. This study uses a qualitative research method to identify key emotional experiences from students at the master’s and undergraduate level in the hopes of providing a platform …

Basketballs Bounce Back But I Didn't, Kelli Shivers

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

No abstract provided.

Estrangement Of War In Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, Sophia L. Tornay

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

An application of Victor Shklovsky's Theory of Prose to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five.

My Teacher-Writer Identity, Kayla R. Ehlinger

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

My project is my teacher-writer identity project, which started in my Teaching Writing Classroom. The goal of this project was to create a piece of media which gave an understanding of our identity as teachers and writers. My project took the form of a handout that would be used as a teaching material to help my students get to know me while also becoming comfortable with their own writing process. Using my own examples for how to interact with writing, my teacher-writer identity ultimately hopes to help my students become comfortable with themselves and their different approaches to writing.

The Dark Truth About Steve Jobs, Mike Dent

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Presentation of a paper on Steve Jobs and his role in the success of Apple Computer.

Using Online Tools For Learning, Not Copying, Noah Cox

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This project is showing that using online websites for homework answers is not always a bad thing. If these websites are used correctly, they can actually be a really good tool for learning.

Adhd: A Personal Struggle, Julianna Vanvalin

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This paper attempts to show my struggles with ADHD and how not receiving proper care can hinder someone.

Foster Youth In College, Brandi Lindenmuth

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Foster youth in higher education struggle with unique challenges that need attention in order for them to succeed. Programs such as the ones talked about in this paper focus on these unique challenges and proceed to support these students for their potential of success.

Chum By Earl Sweatshirt: An Analysis, Oryah Brown

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This paper is an analysis of Earl Sweatshirt's song "Chum". The record contains complex rhyming, dark themes, clever metaphors and looming instrumental. Additionally, the paper attempts to detail the rapper's unique background, career and personal struggles. Earl's impact and importance is highlighted and examined to provide further context to the song's sinister subject matter and aesthetic.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Are They Really So Bad?, Erika Johnson

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), are a highly debated topic among society today. The argument as to whether they should be used for consumption appears to lie in the crossfire of safe vs. non-safe. On one side, lie those who appear to shrivel up when the word is only mentioned. On the other, lie those who believe in the good that can come from genetically modifying foods, merely hoping to keep up with the demand of an ever-growing world. While GMOs will not feed the entirety of those hungry in the world, it is a small step towards a greater cause. …

Honor And The Code Of Silence, Michaela Sallade

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This work is about law enforcement and the code of silence some officers that take part in it. There are three reasons behind officers following this code is due to the influence of the police academy, their fellow police officers, and the police union. Then going over how honor influences these officers becoming a part of the code of silence as well. The code of silence is a problem in the United States that is leading to officers getting away with crimes.

Fast Fashion, Honor, And The Value Of Overconsumption, Samuel J. Shoaff

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

An analysis of the implications of fast fashion in a post-industrial society, with a focus on the environmental and human costs.

Breaking The Code In The Imitation Game, Taylor Zovko

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This paper compares the ideas discussed in Derrida's paper Signature Event Context regarding the idea of the iterability of language with Alan Turing's work on decoding the Enigma as presented in the movie The Imitation Game.

Death Is Alive In Letter Writing, Rebekah L. Smith

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Language, according to Derrida, is a complex machine that is not just understood between two people, but between everyone.

I'M With Her. And Her. And Her., Jessica M. Garrison

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This paper describes my experience at the Women's March on Washington in 2017 and how it has given me a new perspective.

Engl 400: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Song, "We Are The World": A Call To Change -- Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow (And A Potential Rhetorical Framework For Covid-19 Relief Efforts), Cammy Toddy

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

On the night of January 28, 1985, the charity single song, “We Are The World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, was produced in A&M Studios in Los Angeles. At the recording studio, there was a sign that said, “Check your egos at the door,” which acted as a visual reminder for why these artists were there. This idea was put in place by producer Quincy Jones, who knew he had one night to bring over 40 of the country’s biggest stars together for a cause much bigger than themselves. A rhetorical analysis of “We Are The World” reveals …

Goddamn Tidewater, Morgan Parker

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Abstract

This paper was originally an assignment for my CMP 100: Effective Composition with Dr. Clemens. After I turned it in, she suggested, after some cleaning up, that I should submit it to the Composition Conference on campus. My paper is a short story about a personal life experience I had relating to my father. My father passed away in 2012 when I was 11 years old, and ever since then I have been thinking about ways I can commemorate him. When I was 16, I came up with the idea of getting a tattoo so that it would be …

Teaching The Power Of Pictures, Rachel Speranza

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

Though choosing sources that have specific copyright that allows for the reuse, modification, and redistribution of pictures is an important lesson for all students of all grade levels, what’s even a more important lesson is that of the power of social media. The perfect picture can spread like a wildfire across all social media platforms. Pictures have the power to change someone’s mood, political opinion, and even advocate for change on the other side of the world.

Global Language Variation In Online Writing Instructional Spaces: English As A Lingua Franca Among Global Participants In A Massive Open Online Course, Angela May Dadak

English Theses & Dissertations

Two vectors of the internationalization of US higher education—online courses and student diversity—intersect at a point where a broad mix of culturally and linguistically diverse students enroll in online courses, including writing courses. This study applies an English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) lens to examine language in an online writing environment in order to understand how the participants use their linguistic resources to communicate in English across varieties and around the world. This study employs discourse analysis to two discussion forums from a US-based composition MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). More than three quarters of the MOOC participants came …