English Language and Literature Commons^™

Finding Hope, April Renae Musekamp

Masters Theses

Hope Diaz is a young military spouse who prefers baking to people. Her husband has just died while he was serving overseas. In her overwhelming grief, Daisy has to decide where she will live after her time in base housing runs out and what she will do to support herself. She finds solace in a local grief support group, but will her tenuous relationship with her mother comfort her through continuing loss? Hope accepts a job offer from an old baking instructor, but that means leaving behind her support system and places full of memories with her husband. Things don’t …

A Call For Planetary Kinship: The Development Of New Forms Of Subjectivity In Jeff Vandermeer's Annihilation, Jennifer Kinne

Masters Theses

This thesis joins a vibrant conversation on the importance of storytelling in an age of climate change through an analysis of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation, a strange and prophetic novel whose environments and characters are confronted with significant ecological devastation and transformation. It explores the ways in which VanderMeer opens liminal spaces between the human and nonhuman through his usage of the New Weird genre, uncanny and abcanny imagery, and monstrous characters.

In my first chapter, I will explore the emerging world of New Weird fiction and argue that this genre is uniquely suited to addressing climate change, namely because of …

"Cabined, Cribbed, Confined": Tyrannical Anxiety And Maternal Power In Shakespeare, Elle J. Nieuwsma

Masters Theses

The tyrannical king, a common trope in Shakespearean plays, is on the surface a powerful and confident character. He is motivated, though, by overwhelming anxiety and fear about losing his power and the freedom he experiences through it. In other words, he suffers from a metaphorical claustrophobia and is terrified of being confined to physical, social, and sexual inadequacy. In order to protect himself and maintain his freedom, the tyrant must project his anxiety onto someone else, and interestingly, the Shakespearean tyrants choose a shared target: mothers.

Through a series of close-readings and analysis, this article explores how several different …

Dismantling Dualisms: Jane’S Liminal Agency In Charlotte Brontë’S Jane Eyre, Nicole Baniukaitis

Masters Theses

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a complex and, at times, seemingly paradoxical novel. Through Jane’s journey, I argue that Charlotte Brontë offers possibilities that can be explained and understood through Val Plumwood’s ecofeminist lens of dismantling or escaping dualisms in order to make these crucial changes and rewrite the traditional story. Jane’s liminality throughout the novel empowers her, offers her access to alternative modalities, and allows her to notice the oppressive dualistic structures governing all aspects of life. Due to her unique liminal positioning, Jane is aligned with nature and fights against oppressive dualisms to shape her life in a …

Personal Touches: Translation Poetics In Chinese Translations Of Shakespeare Plays, Gabriella Smith

Masters Theses

Translation, rather than a process of equivalency, requires linguistic and cultural mediation on behalf of the translator. Thought of in this way, the translation process becomes a process of rewriting to fit the sociolinguistic context, and the translator becomes the most important factor in determining how well a translation can fill in gaps present in the knowledge of the target audience. To provide a better understanding of how those with no training in translation seek to fit a translation to the linguistic audience they are provided, I conducted a study of two native bilingual Chinese students on the Wadsworth version …

“The Ugly Truth”: Examining War Trauma And Therapeutic Storytelling Through The Works Of Tim O’Brien, Meredith Ivy Fedewa

Masters Theses

Within this work, a close study on the relationship between trauma and storytelling is examined through three of Tim O’Brien’s works: The Things They Carried, Going After Cacciato, and In the Lake of the Woods. Through the application of psychoanalysis, specifically the work of Jacques Lacan, and modern trauma theory, the relationship between individual identity and the traumatizing encounter of the Real is examined through O’Brien’s concepts of Story Truth versus Happening Truth, as well as how those concepts work together to navigate one’s trauma story. Through weaving the aforementioned theory with each text, O’Brien is seen …

Beyond All Worlds: George Macdonald, The Pre-Tolkienians, And The Forgotten Possibilities Of Fantasy, Ethan Patrick Stevens

Masters Theses

The history of modern fantasy has been powerfully shaped by the worldbuilding paradigm so successfully executed in J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954-55 trilogy The Lord of the Rings. However, there were nearly a hundred and fifty years of creative work between the birth of fantasy as a genre and Tolkien’s publication of The Lord of the Rings. By examining the pre-Tolkienian fantasists, we find that Tolkien's way of exhaustive consistency was not, and is not, the only way to write fantasy. Phantastes (1858), the first novel by the influential Victorian fantasist George MacDonald, defies contemporary worldbuilding standards almost constantly in …

Bearing Witness To Human Value: Race Relations Under The Apartheid Regime In Select Works Of Athol Fugard, Cameron Alex Yngsdal

Masters Theses

South African white playwright Athol Fugard utilized his theatrical expertise to articulate a socially conscious voice of protest against the oppressive systems implemented by the South African Apartheid government. Because of his writing taking place in the particularized Apartheid-specific setting, where he, as a member of the white minority, he was afforded the freedoms and opportunities which were not offered to members of non-white races. Thus, although Fugard’s race offered him opportunities to protest Apartheid, it brought the possibility of incorrectly portraying non-white South Africans. This incorrect portrayal, known as the “white savior complex,” wherein a white figure rescues the …

The Deep End: A Journey Of Faith, Janet M. Henderson

Masters Theses

This paper is an expansion of papers written in my MFA program’s creative non-fiction writing class and workshop. In English 600: Editing, Layout, and Publishing, the class wrote a paper to document our faith journey and our approach to understanding ourselves and our worldview based on our religious indoctrination. This paper was 10-15 pages long and had a title page, a table of contents, an acknowledgment page, and a dedication page. After writing this paper, I began to consider the possibility of writing a longer work that would dig deeper into the real essence of my faith walk. It would …

Developing Biblical, Community-Based Resources For Military Wives Entering The Empty Nest And Midlife Transition Period, Cynthia Louise Stumme

Masters Theses

Military wives approaching the onset of middle age and the empty nest should have access to resources that help them navigate the challenges of midlife within the context of the military lifestyle. The US military provides resources supporting successful family relationships for almost every other demographic except for military wives at the midlife and empty nest stage of life. While midlife is understudied as a life stage, the existing research does identify specific objectives for personal development and growth during middle age which lead to thriving in that stage and in old age. Using these objectives as a guide, this …

Mini Memoirs: Poetry As A Medium For Memories, Liesl Anna Counterman

Masters Theses

For the critical paper, I explore the use of poetry as a form of memoir. Over the years, I have journaled by writing poetry, and for the purpose of this paper, I have studied the marriage of poetry and memoir. My critical paper research has directed me towards how memoirists (including autobiographers and biographers of the past) have used poetry in their writings and how the truth about the past is verified and enhanced by poetic works. Poetry seems to be a vehicle of preserving truth, thus proving the veracity of the emotions and experiences within a historical context. Since …

Discovering “God Almighty”: An Exploration Of Kurt Vonnegut’S Mythmaking In Sirens Of Titan, Cat’S Cradle, And Slaughterhouse-Five, Megan Joy Kehoe

Masters Theses

In an interview with Charlie Reilly interview, Kurt Vonnegut argues, “The Christ story is marvelous, but it’s not really about people like us” (“Two Conversations” 20). Vonnegut makes clear his appreciation for Christ, though he critiques the gospel’s relevance to humankind. In his own novels, Vonnegut takes from popular religion and creates his own stories, mythologies that are carefully catered to the human experience. In this evaluation of three of Vonnegut’s, I offer a new reading of the author which highlights his use of mythology, his parodies of God Almighty, and his hope for the direction of mankind. I begin …

"Comic"Ally Calling For Cultural Competency: Using Graphic Narratives To Teach Social Justice In The Writing Classroom, Travis Moody

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

David Lindsay's A Voyage To Arcturus: An Anti-Fantasy, Bryan Wysopal

Masters Theses

This is a study of David Lindsay’s A Voyage to Arcturus (1920) in which I argue that the novel is an anti-fantasy, that is, a fantasy that negates certain tropes common to the genre as part of the author’s wider intentions for writing. I contextualize Lindsay by comparing him to several authors of his time who also worked in the mode of fantasy, then explain how the generic traits of the novel are handled unconventionally to promote Lindsay’s personal philosophy. I explore Lindsay’s treatment of the basic generic traits of the hero and his quest, the imaginary world, and …

Restoring Female Agency: Wicked As A Feminist Fairy-Tale Revision, Erica Nicole Fox

Masters Theses

One method of promoting gender equality that has gained popularity in recent years involves revising the fairy tales, primarily the ones compiled and revised by Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Anderson, and the Grimm brothers, to create versions in which the female characters have agency and purpose outside of furthering patriarchal gender ideals. The primary goal of the feminist fairy-tale revision is to give the female characters agency, not because they are women, but because they are functioning characters within the story. While there are many authors who attempt to create fairy-tale revisions that embody a feminist perspective, not all are …

The Supporting Role: Cultivating A Writing Life To Prevent And Combat Writer's Block, Molly Elizabeth Hanberry

Masters Theses

Every writer will suffer from writer’s block from time to time, and there are two general schools of thought in dealing with this affliction: wait it out or struggle through. The purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the nature of writer’s block from a fundamental level, beginning with the neuroscience of creativity. From there, it will explore the three root causes of writer’s block: lack of inspiration, burnout, and fear. And finally, with an understanding of its causes, it will be possible to examine ways to combat writer’s block through methods based in neuroscience, personal experience, and professional advice …

Material Encounters: Making Memory Beyond The Mind, Ariel Wills

Masters Theses

Can acts of making carry the memories of our embeddedness within the world? This thesis explores how making things can nurture a sense of kinship that cuts across the organic and inorganic, erasing the distinction between living and dead, material and spiritual. Through handwork such as art-making, sewing, knitting, cooking, woodworking, and beyond, the burden of remembering and of archiving is shared across human and non-human bodies, cultivated through practices of making, and through the materials themselves. By recounting the stories of my family’s experience as Jewish immigrants in the United States, I aim to reveal how their domestic practices …

Finding Home In Merry Hill: Appalachia Beyond The Mountains In Arnow's The Dollmaker, Adrienne Oliver

Masters Theses

The migration of Gertie Nevels in Arnow’s The Dollmaker from Appalachian Kentucky to Detroit examines the tense relationship between two vastly different cultures forced together in the city. Gertie’s identity as a strong, capable Appalachian woman used to the agrarian lifestyle of 1940s Kentucky struggles to find roots in the mechanized world of Detroit. In the city, Gertie faces fervent rejection of her Appalachian culture. She finds that Detroit society encourages her to adapt to the cultural norms of the city and put away her Appalachian practices. However, Gertie’s ability to adapt to the social demands of the city does …

Bridging The Gap Between Secondary Writing Instruction And Post-Secondary Writing Needs, Elexcia S. Washington

Masters Theses

Secondary students across the United States often graduate without the prerequisite writing skills needed for post-secondary education and employment success. This thesis examines the history of U.S. writing instruction and the influential figures that have influenced writing instruction across secondary school classrooms. It also explores the effects of teacher education and legislation like the Elementary and Secondary Education and No Child Left Behind acts on writing outcomes. This thesis also identifies the most effective evidence-based writing interventions before concluding with recommendations and a teacher's guide.

The Prevalence Of Grammar In Virginia Higher Education, Caroline Nicatie Stimpson

Masters Theses

This thesis describes why the prescriptive grammar model should be implemented in public education rather than the descriptive grammar model. For the purposes of this paper, prescriptive grammar refers to how words ought to be used, while descriptive grammar refers to how words are used by native speakers in natural settings. The central issue I address in this thesis is how prescriptive grammar enables students to read and write properly, heightens their linguistic knowledge, improves their ability to express themselves, and teaches them useful skills for future educational and employment opportunities. Additionally, it outlines the flaws inherent in the descriptive …

“You Never Get It Out Of Your Bones”: The Christ-Haunted Security Of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird And Go Set A Watchman, Corley E. Humphrey

Masters Theses

Harper Lee’s novels To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman emphasize the struggle of mid-twentieth century Southern identity as Southerners searched for security, and she does so particularly in her main character, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. Throughout the novels, Jean Louise fights to find a balance within herself as she learns to decide what to accept or reject from her Southern culture. Using New Historicism and Southern Female Gender Studies, this thesis analyzes the character development of Jean Louise “Scout” in the novels and the traits she consistently accepts—discrimination and respect, honor of family, grace—and the ones she …

“Am I Wrong To Want Justice?”: How J. M. Coetzee’S Disgrace Forces Readers To Think Through The Problem Of Law, Nicholas Langenberg

Masters Theses

Since the publication of J. M. Coetzee’s first post-apartheid novel, Disgrace, a number of scholars have noted the ways that this text encourages its readers to re-think their understanding of law. Many other scholars have also noted the ways that Disgrace explores the ideas of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. However, up until this point, there has been no analysis written that considers the legal explorations of Disgrace alongside the legal philosophies of Deleuze, and in this thesis, precisely such an analysis will be offered.

By considering these two bodies of work in light of one another, it will be …

The Voyage Of The Reunion, Hamilton Keller Bright

Masters Theses

The Voyage of the Reunion is a collection of short stories centered around three men, Captain Adams, Mr. Freire, and Reverend Kaff, on a mission to reunite Earth’s lost colonies with the galaxy at large. However, not all is well on these lost worlds, and many dangers await them in the darkness of space. In the course of their journey, they wrestle with questions of mankind’s relation to technology, personal identity, and what it means to be human.

Global Englishes: Variations Of A Single Language In All English Classrooms, Amanda Leigh Faulkenberry

Masters Theses

This study was conducted in order to develop a procedure for creating a globally recognized curriculum for teaching students and teachers about global variations of English. The study first sought to discover attitudes towards global variations of English of speakers in each of Kachru’s three-circles model of World Englishes. Once there was an understanding of the negative attitudes that exist towards variations that fall within all three circles, the next goal was to determine what was being done to change this negative attitude. This meant analyzing curriculum and studies to determine how students and teachers are being educated on the …

Emily Dickinson, The Tyrant, And The Daemon: A Critique Of Societal Oppression, And The Significance Of Artistic Truth, Debra Kue

Masters Theses

This thesis argues that art, for Dickinson, was an alternative system of salvation which her society could not provide her. Unwilling to surrender herself to the mold of her society, the institutional practice of Christianity and gender expectations, Dickinson chose to take ownership of her life through art, which allowed her to develop a personal language to combat the oppressive forces of the world around her. As a conscious “revolutionist of the word” Dickinson embarked on a path of self-discovery that enabled her to conduct a life in self-imposed exile as a means to emancipate herself from the constraints of …

The Quest Of Love: A Liturgical Reading Of The Pilgrim's Progress, Matthew Charles Fox

Masters Theses

John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress has been enjoyed for its imaginative story by a wide variety of readers since its publication in 1678, but criticism has long treated Bunyan’s imaginative story-telling as separate from and at odds with his Puritanism. If this were the case and expositing theological doctrine was Bunyan’s main purpose, then why would he write a fiction? Using James K. A. Smith idea of “liturgical pedagogy” from his Cultural Liturgies series, this thesis argues that Bunyan’s story does more than vividly convey theological doctrine to the reader’s mind; rather, it captures the imagination of the reader’s heart, …

Originality, Decorum, And Fantastic Sight In Dostoevsky's The Idiot, Richard A. Decker

Masters Theses

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “fantastic realism” penetrates reality’s surface to reveal what he refers to as the “moral center” of reality and, in the process, transfigures readers. In Dostoevsky’s The Idiot, the novel’s main protagonist, Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin, embodies this fantastic realism. This process provides Myshkin with a “fantastic sight” that allows him to see past the immorality of the manners—or “feigned decorum”—of Russian society as represented in the novel. In so doing, Myshkin serves his peers as a “Nouwenian minister,” classifying him as a “wounded healer” archetype as presented in Henri J. M. Nouwen’s The Wounded Healer. This …

Boethian Variations: Musical Thought In Sir Orfeo, Troilus And Criseyde, And Robert Henryson’S Orpheus And Eurydice, Joshua T. Parks

Masters Theses

This study approaches three poems from the late medieval British Isles—the Middle English Breton lay Sir Orfeo, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, and Robert Henryson’s Orpheus and Eurydice—through the lens of medieval music theory. The most important authority for medieval music theorists was the late antique philosopher Boethius, who held to a Neoplatonic philosophy of music that valued reason, theory, and contemplation of the music of the spheres. Later medieval theorists cited Boethius extensively while also adapting his thought to suit their own purposes. In particular, the early fourteenth-century French theorist Johannes de Grocheio, influenced by Aristotle, departed …

The Storying Of Colombian Writing Centers, Jennifer Erin Pretzer

Masters Theses

Using the results from a study conducted on Colombian writing centers, this thesis applies principles from narrative theory to posit a grand narrative for Colombian writing center professionals. The study was modeled on one Jackie Grutsch McKinney used to examine US writing center professionals’ descriptions of their work, and the thesis includes a comparison with her results. Respondents were asked to answer seven questions, two of which were multiple choice and five of which were short answer. The questions asked respondents to describe their tutoring staff composition, their center’s operations, writing centers in general, and ways their center resembles and …

English As A Lingua Franca: Improving Technical Writing And Communication Methods For International Audiences, Lauren Alyssa Serrani

Masters Theses

This thesis centers on the role of English as a lingua franca in global communication, particularly as it pertains to technical written communication. Over the 20th century, English emerged as the primary language used in global communication. As a result, efforts have been made to standardize the language and teach this standardized English in schools and writing programs around the world. Standard American and British English are dominant in academic and professional fields, which inhibits both native and nonnative language learners from reaching their full potential. This project focuses on the most prominent language acquisition methodologies - Standard English, translingualism, …