English Language and Literature Commons^™

The Curtains Aren’T Just Blue: The Decline Of Media Literacy Within Pop-Culture, Kaia Divisconti

Honors Theses

This paper explores the relationship between the growing belief that media like film, television and advertisements “aren’t that deep” and the decline of English departments within education. This study explores how pillars of English departments, like analysis and rhetorical awareness, are pivotal for students to learn to understand the vast number of digital media that they are faced with every day. Through pop-culture moments of American Eagle “good genes” advertisement campaign, media trends like “red pill” content and stereotypical representation in film, this paper examines how this content is pushed onto students and how departments like English and humanities can …

Romantasy's Inevitable Lasting Legacy, Devon T. Gibson

Honors Theses

The “romantasy” subgenre of YA literature has become influential for its novel combination of romance and fantasy as well as its popularity on Booktok, the book-based subsection of the popular social media app, Tiktok. This connection has become somewhat infamous in popular culture and has been underresearched due to how recently both concepts became significant forces within the publishing industry. This thesis argues that romantasy is a novel and lasting YA subgenre that is not dependent on Booktok to maintain it. The analysis of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015) and Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (2023) …

The Ethical Imperative To Shift Toward A More Equitable Literary Education, Eleanor L. Bryant

Honors Theses

Choices governing canon formation have material, emotional, and intellectual consequences. Within canon formation, authors of different social identities, consistent with macrosocial power differentials, are unequally valued and shape cultural consciousness about which texts are aesthetically and intellectually valuable. It’s important to recognize canon formation as a process of unequally distributing cultural capital and knowledge production. The strategies and imperatives outlined here are basic first steps toward utilizing the classroom as a site to counter misogyny, racism, classism, colonialism, and homophobia. This project aims not only to deepen understanding of the sociological conditions of canon formation but also to impose an …

“Under The Fig-Tree”: Post-Revolutionary Literature Influences American Government, Clara Kernodle

Honors Theses

The literary context of post-Revolutionary America developed a broad sense of the American character as virtuous, hardworking, and responsible. In the 1780s, three American writers, representing these three categories of literature, penned their perspectives on human character and society, to much commercial success. J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, Royall Tyler, and Philip Freneau described their situations and opinions with candor and wit, helped spark a broad sense of the American character, and influenced the authors of the nation’s founding documents. At the end of that same decade, Anti-Federalist political philosophy drew from an established literary conception of the American …

Greeting Death “Sitting Up:” How Children’S Literature Provides Modern Death Education, Reilly Kendrick

Honors Theses

Western culture places a lot of importance on legacy and friendship as important lessons to learn from death. However, children do not have as much experience with death due to changing cultural customs, and our society lacks a formal death education system that can promote these values and teach children how to respond to death in their lives. Literature, though, can fill this gap in children’s knowledge by teaching the basic physical components of death and philosophical understandings of death. These ideas are learned through vicarious reading, in which children experience the character’s emotions and reactions as they read. The …

Radio As War: An Exploration Of Kalamazoo Black Radio In The Vietnam War Era, Amelia Koch

Honors Theses

Kalamazoo, Michigan’s black history runs deep. This thesis aims to trace that black history, and situate it within the realm of black radio as a cultural phenomenon. Rising to its provenance in the mid-1960s, black radio has been, and continues to be, a rallying point for African American communities across the U.S., particularly in Chicago and Detroit. Kalamazoo, a halfway point between these two major cities, has a lack of such stations. Exploring the lack of black radio in Kalamazoo during the 1950s through 70s, this work presents a connection between the existence of black programming and the experience of …

“As Though You Could Never Sink”: Gender Euphoria Through Aquatic Embodiment In The Sun Also Rises, Devan Edwards

Honors Theses

Recent scholarship in disability studies and queer theory (2007-2024) reveals that Jake Barnes's war wound in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises functions as something more complex than tragic loss. This paper argues that Jake's swimming and fishing scenes constitute moments of gender euphoria, a term borrowed from contemporary transgender studies, enabled specifically by aquatic embodiment. In these scenes, water functions as the physical and symbolic medium through which Jake's war-wounded body transcends the performative demands of 1920s heteronormative masculinity. Building on Michael Anesko's provocative reading of Jake as "accidentally transgendered" (Literature and Medicine, 2015) and Martina Kübler's argument that impotence …

Icarus’S Fall: Villainization In Wicked, Star Wars, And The Untamed, Laura Renfroe

Honors Theses

When looking back on the most beloved, yet infamous, villains of popular culture, one can note an abundant rise of prequels and backstory-driven media exploring the paths that villain characters take that lead them to their tragic fall. Some of those stories include John M. Chu’s Wicked, George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Chen Jialin and Zheng Weiwin’s The Untamed, each of which explores protagonists who are labeled as “wicked” and depicted as fallen to the “dark side.” While these characters are often studied in existing literary research, there have yet to be explicit ties …

Borrowed Mantles: Neoclassicism, Theology, And The Construction Of Authority In Phillis Wheatley-Peters, Zoe N. Lament

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how Phillis Wheatley-Peters established literary and intellectual authority within an eighteenth-century world that questioned both her authorship and her intellectual capability as an enslaved Black woman. Rather than focusing on the external validation provided by the prefatory materials to Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773), this study argues that Wheatley-Peters constructs authority through the poetry itself. Specifically, it explores how her use of neoclassical poetic conventions alongside Christian theological language functions to establish credibility and strengthen her moral and intellectual arguments.

Through close readings of poems including "On Being Brought from Africa to America" and …

Spear, Perilous Times, And The Bright Sword: Radical Reinventions Of The Arthurian Legend In 2020s Literature, Brigid Flanagan

Honors Theses

The story of King Arthur has been told time and time again, emerging most recently as a major literary fascination for fantasy writers. The huge body of Arthurian literature published in the 20th century has been well-documented. Raymond H. Thompson’s The Return From Avalon surveys nearly two hundred works published from 1882 to 1983, noting trends and common themes that emerge over this collection. Several more scholars have examined modern Arthurian literature within a smaller scope, including Shiloh Carroll who looks into certain trends across both 20th and 21st century texts. Particular works have been the focus of closer analysis, …

Paradise Lost And Character Motivation: Sinful Behavior Or Inferiority Complex?, Esperanza Barrios

Honors Theses

Sin is a concept that is always viewed through a religious perspective. But, through Paradise Lost, John Milton was able to bring further understanding towards human nature and one’s own sense of committing what’s perceived as sinful behavior without the veil of religion glazing over academics' understanding. In religious terms, sinful behavior is the idea of defying God’s commandments, but for this research, sinful behavior may be described as abnormal behavior that damages our best interests and relationships, usually for selfish gains. Each of Milton’s main characters, Satan, Adam, and Eve, fell from grace because all three damaged their relationship …

Wild Robots: Humans, Wilderness, And Technology In Becky Chambers’ Monk And Robot Series, Melissa Moore

Honors Theses

As technology advances and the environment deteriorates, the way people view the relationships between technology, wilderness, and humans becomes essential for society to move forward. To investigate perceptions about technology’s place in an environmentally conscious society, this project examines manifestations of wilderness/wildness and technology in Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot series through the lens of ecocriticism. Using Timothy Morton's concept of the ecological thought as a framework for analysis, the circumstances present in the novel suggest that the triangle separating humans, wilderness, and technology has actually collapsed, replaced by an enmeshment of technology, wilderness, and humanity.

Emphasis On The External: Deceptive Beauty In Lady Audley’S Secret And The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Arden Cravy

Honors Theses

The novels Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde both present major themes of beauty, authenticity, and morality while maintaining their didacticism. This thesis comes as a surprise due to the beliefs and intentions of the authors, both of whom claim other motivations than the betterment of their readers. The parallels between these narratives ascribe to the fallible Victorian perspectives regarding external appearance and internal motivations. The danger of assumed authenticity becomes apparent in these authors’ works as they grapple with the realities of human nature. Wilde and Braddon each depict …

“If He Be Mr.Hyde…I Shall Be Mr.Seek”: Crime, Surveillance, And Narrative Structure In The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, Haley N. Durrett

Honors Theses

This research seeks to situate Robert Louis Stevenson's novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde into the historical context of the time period using 19th century criminal-typing, policing structures, and the genre of detective fiction. Focusing on the representation of the criminal, Edward Hyde, the layout of the detective novel, and narrative structure, the novel creates an implicit desire for the police, that is not fulfilled throughout the novel's unraveling.

Enduring The Torturing Shears: Gardens And Novel Conventions In The Brontës' Novels, Grace Mattingly

Honors Theses

This thesis is a literary analysis of the use of gardens and garden imagery in Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to subvert Victorian novel conventions. This work is part of the larger conversation of how female authors in the literary canon express dissatisfaction with or resistance to Victorian social mores. This thesis is divided into three chapters, each focusing on one novel, and it primarily evaluates how gardens are employed by the Brontës to challenge plot and genre conventions. The work examines concerns surrounding the Victorian marriage institution, female …

From The Kitchens Of Lords To Pinterest Boards: An Examination Of Recipe Discourse, Haley Hansen

Honors Theses

This paper traces the evolution of written recipe discourse from medieval manuscripts to modern digital platforms, examining how changes in recipe structure, audience, and purpose reflect broader shifts in cultural literacy and sponsorship. Drawing on Deborah Brandt’s theory of “sponsors of literacy,” the author argues that recipe authors have historically acted as sponsors of culinary literacy, shaping who has access to cooking knowledge and how that knowledge is communicated. Through close analysis of recipes from the Forme of Cury (1390), American Cookery (1796), the Good Housekeeping Cookbook (1963), and a contemporary food blog, the study highlights the increasing democratization of …

Storytelling Or Telling Stories: An Analysis Of Disnarration In Music Videos, Victoria Garrett

Honors Theses

Music videos have grown in popularity in recent years and have begun to augment the stories being told by the lyrics of their songs. This is done by using narrative techniques, such as disnarration, to develop complex narratives that can conflict with the lyrical content. Through analysis of the videos "Willow" (2020 dir. Taylor Swift) by Taylor Swift, "The One That Got Away" (2012 dir. Floria Sigismoni) by Katy Perry, and "One Beer" (2020 dir. Justin Clough) by HARDY, the distinction between the plots of the videos and the lyrics can be brought into focus. This distinction in the stories …

“How Close To The Edge We Are”: Ecologically Reading The Frontiers Of Joan Didion’S Early Nonfiction, Mia R. Speller

Honors Theses

Joan Didion’s work is heavily regional and rooted in place, whether that be the place about which she writes or, by contrast, the place she leaves in order to do her writing. This place-based context takes root in many American ideologies and mythos, like that of the frontier mentality and golden dream. For this reason, exploring Didion’s use of natural metaphor and description as she discusses various cultural phenomena is essential to understanding the layers of her social critiques of 1960’s and 1970’s American culture, especially as they reflect on the failures of the frontier ideology. Further, looking at her …

‘King Of Infinite Space:’ Confinement And Identity In Hamlet & Contemporary Adaptations, Anna-Laura Houston

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the theme of identity confinement through the lens of Shakespeare's Hamlet and its contemporary adaptations, Fat Ham by James Ijames and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard. At the core of this comparative study is Hamlet's paradoxical claim that he could be "a king of infinite space" were it not for his "bad dreams," a statement that encapsulates the tension between internal autonomy and external constraint. The thesis argues that Hamlet's sense of self is shaped-and ultimately fractured-by external demands, including his father's ghostly command for vengeance, the political corruption of Denmark, and an existential …

Divergent Paths Of Homosexuality: Clive And Alec In E.M. Forster's Maurice, Samantha J. Dean

Honors Theses

E. M. Forster’s Maurice is a paramount text in queer literary circles, though it is highly under analyzed and discussed. This thesis analyzes E. M. Forster's Maurice and takes the focus away from the main protagonist, Maurice, and instead focuses on an in-depth analysis of the two main love interests of the novel, Clive and Alec, and how they represent two paths of homosexuality, Clive representing social visibility and homosexual repression and Alec representing social invisibility and homosexual freedom, through a close reading of the text, with the help of theory from Foucault. It begins with an introduction to the …

Resilience As A Coming-Of-Age Model In Young Adult Literature, Maggie R. Turbyfield

Honors Theses

I argue that resilience should be recognized as a coming-of-age model because it offers support and empowerment while being inclusive to all comings of age. I have identified three types of resilience and analyzed them in three novels: non-guardian resilience in Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park, peer resilience in Matthew Hubbard’s The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge, and creative resilience in Isabel Quintero Gabi, A Girl in Pieces.

Anna On The Go, Emma Burgess

Honors Theses

28-year-old Anna McCarthy, better known by her Instagram alias @Annaonthego, appears to have it all: the perfect man, flawless style, the job of her dreams, and a spot at the top of New York City’s cutthroat social ladder. With so much to flaunt, one would expect Anna to pounce at the opportunity to attend her ten year high school class reunion. Instead, the event’s invitation forces her to confront the fact that she may not be able to bury her dark past from her multitude of followers, and herself, forever.

Please note: This thesis is permanently restricted and not available.

Transcendental Blooms: Margaret Fuller And The Radical Language Of Flowers, Jenna Mcclain

Honors Theses

Situated between the literary periods of American Romanticism and Transcendentalism, Margaret Fuller’s writings vary in their topic and medium, offering a unique fusion of literary style as well as a refined yet radical social perspective. Fuller’s work frequently employs flowers as tools for communication rather than as mere symbols, with flowers acting as transmitters of Fuller’s philosophical message in her many sketches and poems. In “The Magnolia of Lake Pontchartrain,” one of her most famous prose sketches, Fuller explores flowers in a nuanced way that exemplifies how floral representations function more like characters than objects in her work. While scholars …

The Laureate, Nadia Famiano

Honors Theses

It is important for undergraduate artists to have an understanding of the artistic market before they start their careers. This project will provide students with the opportunity to experience the process of getting published in a formal academic journal utilizing resources from others pursuing post-secondary education in different fields. The Laureate is an art journal composed of undergraduate pieces. It gives students an opportunity to have their art(s) recognized, such as written works, photography and other visual arts. Allowing for students to have experience with an official publication, The Laureate is an engaging journal that culminates in a celebration of …

"To Keep Men In Awe": Religious Subversion And Anti-Providentialism In Marlowe's Tamburlaine And The Jew Of Malta, Will White

Honors Theses

In early modern England, the term “atheist” held quite a different meaning from its modern usage. Most often, it referred not to person who rejected God’s existence, but who rejected the validity of divine providence: the notion that God exerts control and order over the events of Earth. This understanding of atheism informs the reading of the 16th century playwright Christopher Marlowe, whose connection to atheistic ideas is perhaps more visible than any of his contemporaries. In this thesis, I argue that the unifying element of religion in Marlowe’s drama is anti-providentialism – a rejection of providence. I examine two …

The Laureate, Brooklyn Hoover

Honors Theses

The Laureate’s mission is to provide undergraduate students at Western Michigan University a medium through which to publish their fiction, poetry, nonfiction, photography, graphic novels, and other creative works. The Laureate strives to be a professional and engaging journal that appeals to all. The 23^rd edition of The Laureate is unique in that, despite having no strict guidelines on themes, mediums, or styles, we found that many students expressed themes of grief, recovery, self-discovery, and new beginnings. Together, these works create a complex story of introspection and reflection.

Co-editors, Grace Cieslikowski and Brooklyn Hoover facilitated the launch of the …

Unearthing The Hidden Transcript In Greta Gerwig’S Little Women (2019), Madison Vath

Honors Theses

In her film adaptation of Little Women (2019), Greta Gerwig expounds upon the subject of womanhood through her version of the character Jo March, specifically with the film’s portrayal of emotions and Jo’s authorship journey. Gerwig peels away the layers of the novel’s public transcript, as stated by anthropologist James C. Scott, centering instead the hidden transcript which suggests that a woman cannot thrive in a patriarchal society without community and connection with other women. The methods for my research include close reading, theoretical frameworks from feminist criticism and anthropology, and the use of secondary academic sources.

Religious Fundamentalism, Motivation, And Empathy Towards Sexual Minorities, Nora Martin

Honors Theses

In the United States, political and social opposition to sexual minorities is often associated with high religiosity — in particular, Christianity (Bjork-James, 2019; Toorn et al, 2017; Westwood, 2022). However, the relationship between religiosity and prejudice is complex, with religiosity being both positively and negatively associated with prejudice towards marginalized groups (Laythe et al., 2002; Liht et al., 2011). One aspect of religiosity that is correlated with prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals is religious fundamentalism (Altemeyer & Hunsberger, 1992; Fisher et al., 2017; Laythe et al., 2002). Religious internalization, a related concept, assesses the degree to which an individual ‘adopts’ an …

Tracing The Lines In Comics And Life: Genealogies And My Place Within Them, Audrey M. Loo

Honors Theses

My thesis is a hybrid English Lit/Creative Writing project on comics. The English Lit half is an Artist’s Statement comprised of scholarly research and both analytical and personal writing, and this work will necessarily inform and be informed by the Creative Writing half, in which I create my own comics.

Prophets Instead Of Priests: Diagonal Orientations & Coming-Of-Age Queerness In Jane Eyre And Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Emily G. Flanders

Honors Theses

This project asserts that the moment in which a girl leaves the trajectory of the expected in favor of the unknown in order to pursue her discovery of self is when her coming-of-age narrative becomes queer. This is demonstrated through Jane in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Jeanette in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson. Jane and Jeannette’s respective coming-of-age narratives–that is, them creating their fully embodied selves, the girl they believe and know themselves to be–happen off the expected life path in the liminal, in-between, undefined space of the queer oblique. There are moments …