English Language and Literature Commons^™

Folk Medicine In Southern Appalachian Fiction., Catherine Benson Strain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The region of Southern Appalachia, long known for its colorful storytellers, is also rich in folk medical lore and practice. In their Appalachian novels, Lucy Furman, Emma Bell Miles, Mildred Haun, Catherine Marshall, Harriette Arnow, Lee Smith, and Charles Frazier, feature folk medicine prominently in their narratives. The novels studied, set against the backdrop of the rise of official medicine, are divided into three major time periods that correspond to important chapters in the history of American medicine: the 1890s through the 1930s; the 1940s through the 1960s; and the 1970s through the present. The study of folk medicine, a …

Don't Put Your Shoes On The Bed: A Moral Analysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird., Mitziann Stiltner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Harper Lee wrote a remarkable novel which provides a great deal of moral insight for its readers; through a use of history, moral instruction, and character development, Lee establishes a foundation for how people in an often intolerant world should live peacefully together. Moreover, she reminds the reader that regardless of socioeconomic status or race everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness. In establishing this moral analysis one must consider the historical source of Tom Robinson’s trial, the Scottsboro Trial; the Finch children’s consistent and exemplified instruction from their widowed father, Atticus, their housekeeper, Calpurina, and other close …

Connecting To The Feminine And To The Inner Self In Sarah Orne Jewett's The Country Of The Pointed Firs., Misty D. Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Dunnet Landing, Jewett creates a feminine world that is characterized by its depth and its moral and emotional significance. There is a foundation in the real world of human feeling, and while there is much grief and sorrow in this community, there are also possibilities for happiness. The connection to death and loss is what gives much in this feminine world meaning. Grief is only a part of the journey. Out of death and sorrow come strength and a restoration to wholeness. Mrs. Todd has learned this and she passes her knowledge down to the narrator. The narrator’s journey …

Ishmael: The Dissolution Of A Romantic And The Emergence Of A Poet., Allison M. Pepper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although Ishmael does not appear to be a main character in Moby Dick, his narration is integral to the text. Only through telling the story is Ishmael able to give himself a concrete identity, which is reflected not only through himself, but through the thoughts, speeches, and actions of the other characters, specifically Ahab and the shipmates. Ishmael represents the fragmented Romantic of nineteenth century American society. He is bound by a traditional patriarchal world where he must break away from the father to establish his own identity. He has lost his connection to nature, the primal source of his …

Waiting For Mary Jane: A Collection Of Modern Appalachian Short Stories In The Joycean Tradition., Lorie Ann Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of a collection of short stories stylistically reminiscent of the works of James Joyce yet with an Appalachian and feminist voice. Waiting for Mary Jane should appeal to readers interested in experimental styles as well as feminist and Appalachian literature. The protagonist of the collection is Mary Jane, a female from present day East Tennessee. The reader experiences her life from age three to thirty. The introduction to the collection explores the link between James Joyce, Appalachia, Feminist writing, and the short stories. Structurally and thematically the collection reflects the works of James Joyce by using the …

Why Mystery And Detective Fiction Was A Natural Outgrowth Of The Victorian Period, Sharon J. Kobritz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Master Project presents evidence showing why mystery and detective fiction flourished during the Victorian period and argues that this enduring genre was a natural outgrowth of this time. The project presents material on the culture of the Victorian period and shows how the roles of men and women are defined. This project will argue that mystery and detective fiction flourished because of the changes in popular culture; that the sweeping changes in education, medicine, literature, religion and business solidified the popularity of this genre. Along with this genre of fiction came a new way of publishing and reading. One …

Creating A New Genre: Mary Rowlandson And Hher Narrative Of Indian Captivity., Rachel Bailey De Luise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of King Philip's War, Puritan Mary Rowlandson recorded her experiences as an Indian captive. In a vivid story that recollects the details of these events, Rowlandson attempts to impart a message to her community through the use of a variety of literary techniques. The genre of the Indian captivity narrative is a literary construct that she develops out of the following literary forms that existed at the time of her writing. These are the spiritual autobiography, a documentary method meant to archive spiritual and emotional growth through a record of daily activities; the conversion narrative, which made …

The Detrimental Effects Of Organized Religion On Women In Lee Smith's Fiction., Jennifer Renee Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the detrimental effects of religion on characters in Smith's fiction, with special attention to three general areas of religious influence on women. It considers Smith's illumination of the social, psychological, and artistic harm that organized religion can inflict on the lives of women.

This study includes library research of religion and Lee Smith's fiction. The study also concludes that Smith's seemingly casual fiction raises unsettling questions about the negative effects that religion often has on individuals.

An Investigation Into The Current Status Of The Paradigm Shift In Technical Writing Textbook Pedagogy., Terre D.M. Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether a paradigm shift is occurring or has occurred in technical writing textbooks since 1994. This study will further the work of Jerold J. Jeansonne, who chronicled the paradigm shift in technical writing textbooks from 1900 to 1994. Using product and process orientation guidelines, this thesis will examine several technical writing textbooks produced after 1994. The findings will then be calculated to determine the present status of the paradigm shift.

The thesis will also propose that the technical writing paradigm shift mirrors the paradigm shift in academic writing textbooks. To make this …

White Knowledge And The Cauldron Of Story: The Use Of Allusion In Terry Pratchett's Discworld., William Thomas Abbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last twenty years, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series has become very popular. Pratchett's success hinges in part on his use of allusion, in what Tolkien called the "Cauldron of Story," and what Pratchett refers to as "white knowledge." This paper explores the Discworld novels and illustrates Pratchett's use and success of storytelling through a few key directions: folk tales, fantasy literature, movies, and rock music.

Pratchett has received limited critical review, mostly of a negative nature, while producing a strong literary series, one crafted with both obvious and subtle recognition of his genre's sources. While standing on the shoulders …

A Portrayal Of Gender And A Description Of Gender Roles In Selected American Modern And Postmodern Plays., Bonny Ball Copenhaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe how gender was portrayed and to determine how gender roles were depicted and defined in a selection of Modern and Postmodern American plays. This study was based on the symbolic interaction theory of gender that suggests that social roles are learned over time and are subject to constant reinforcement. The significance of this study was derived from the broad topic of gender because gender issues are relevant to a variety of fields and exploring the effects of gender in one field contributes to the understanding of gender in another field.

The plays …

Merry-Go-Round., Lydia Allois Carter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Merry-Go-Round is a realistic adolescent novella that looks at true problems young adults can face.

The protagonist, Amy, is ten-year-old girl who meets a boy, Ben, of the same age at the hotel where her mother works. Amy and Ben become fast friends. Amy's mother is involved in an abusive relationship and Ben's mother is dying of cancer. Through the relationship formed between the children, they learn how to survive by sharing their difficulties and working them out.

The realistic, troublesome situations faced by the main characters of Merry-Go-Round will help readers graduate smoothly on the next level of reading.

"In Death Thy Life Is Found": An Examination Of The Forgotten Poetry Of Margaret Fuller., Staci E. Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the recent scholarship that has been performed on Margaret Fuller, very little has focused on the varied body of poetry she composed during her brief life. By dividing her poetic works into three categories – those written to an early “lover,” those focusing on the theme of androgyny, and those written during her “mature period” of 1844 – one is better able to follow Fuller on the emotional and intellectual journey that served as the foundation for all of her writings. In addition, the study of Fuller’s poetry provides a clearer understanding of how this erudite woman transcended gender …

Completing The Circle: A Study Of The Archetypal Male And Female In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter., Kathy H. Hallenbeck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and the archetypal images therein. The Scarlet Letter is discussed extensively with references made to The Blithedale Romance. Characters in the following short stories are referred to: “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Birthmark.” An overall analysis of feminine repression in both male and female characters is explored. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl are the subjects of lengthy discussion. Journeys, both inward and outward are explored in the characters. The context is nineteenth-century culture of which Hawthorne is a product. The characters in The Scarlet Letter search for a complete …

"Love Is Lak De Sea": Figurative Language In Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God., Kalina Saraiva De Lima

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The principal objective of this paper is to investigate the use of Hurston’s figurative language in the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Metaphors, symbolism, and personification have always been present in the African American language. Hurston uses the richness of figurative language to depict the African American experience in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century. Figurative language is observed in various instances in the novel, such as when the author places special importance on the porch and the “lies” told there. Other significant examples of figurative language include the kiss and the bloom. Hurston …

Zimbabwean Land And Zimbabwean People: Creative Explorations., Joshua Caine Anchors

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The four writings compiled for this project involve explorations into the complex relationship between Zimbabweans and their land. The current struggles in Zimbabwe over land seizure and resettlement make this a particularly timely and noteworthy theme. The first piece, "Tshaya, Indoda," is a screenplay looking at the dynamic relationship between a white safari operator and black subsistence farmers who live in nearby communal farming lands. The disputes and issues discussed in this piece are very realistic and awareness is raised as to the historical nature and racial dimensions of the current land disputes in Zimbabwe. "Dubious," the second piece, is …

Old Maps, Samuel H. Manhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English at The University of Maine, I submit a collection of poems 1 have entitled Old Maps. Many of the poems in this thesis employ natural imagery, and while it is my intent to discover and analyze the natural world, I also hope to uncover and disclose a more thorough understanding of myself through verse. The self-refledions I see in nature both surprise me and find their expression in my poetry. It is my hope, as I believe it is the hope of every poet, that …

Ghetto Regionalism: Place, Identity, And Assimilation In The Fiction Of Abraham Cahan, Sui Sin Far, And Zitkala-Sa, Tabitha Adams Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis is an exploration of turn-of-the-century immigrant and minority fiction. I deal specifically with the marginalization of minorities who live in ghettos, how and why such a demarcated place and space informs their social identity, and the function and ramifications of the assimilation process on those individuals, as shown in the fiction of Abraham Cahan, Sui Sin Far, and Zitkala-Sa.

The Wise Women Of Chelm, Beth Amy Lurie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My Creative Writing Thesis is a collection of short stories. This original collection, THE WISE WOMEN OF CHELM, reflects an older, oral and written tradition of folk tales known as THE WISE MEN OF CHELM. I grew up with these older tales and have been inspired by their humor all my life. Many authors have added to the Chelm tradition, spanning centuries and including contemporary times. My tales occur in the late l W s , and my twist on them is the focus on women. I like to describe them as mock-feminist since they involve women who, in their …