English Language and Literature Commons^™

Flattening Morrison's Beloved: The Limits Of Psychoanalysis In Literary Criticism, A Literature Review, Isaac Vanhook

University Honors Theses

Toni Morrison's Beloved was first published in 1987 and has amassed a wide range of scholarship throughout the years; with some literary scholars using psychoanalysis to suggest a reading of Beloved. Because of the volume of scholarship and Beloved's plot--dealing with a mother who represses the memory of killing her daughter, Beloved--I found it to be perfect for the scope of this project. This literature review focuses on the sometimes reductive qualities of psychoanalyzing Beloved (such as the Freudian universal psychoanalytic subject, and the 'drawbacks' of object relations theory), while also discussing some revelatory qualities via the same …

Eng 155: Introduction To Literary Studies, Joseph Donica

Open Educational Resources

An OER syllabus covering the ways humans have read and continue to read literature from a variety of critical and theoretical perspectives. An emphasis is placed on the application of critical thought to writing expository essays and responding to readings.

Great Books: Everyone's Inheritance, Michael Gose

Faculty Books

This book explores the benefits of reading "Great Books," and is virtually unique in detailing what a series of Great Books classes has looked like over the past decades

Flannery O'Connor's Why Do The Heathen Rage? A Behind-The-Scenes Look At A Work In Progress, Jessica Hooten Wilson

Faculty Books

In this work of literary excavation, an award-winning author transcribes, compiles, and organizes a final unfinished novel by celebrated American fiction writer Flannery O'Connor. This book introduces O'Connor's final work to the public for the first time and imagines themes and directions the novel might have taken

Literary Needle Drops: The Use Of Music As A Postmodern Tool In Contemporary Fiction, Adan S. Alvarado

English Theses

An examination of musical references (“literary needle drops”) in contemporary literature: Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad, Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, and Haruki Murakami’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. The novels are viewed through the various conceptual lens, literary and otherwise, such as Marcel Danesi’s Modal Flow Principle or “perceptual stimulations” as defined by Guillemette Bolens.

Egan’s novel utilizes punk bands and tracks to construct her characters’ identities, and send them on a journey through lost time to reflect on who they once were, who they have become, and whether they have been able to …

Race Youth In Twentieth-Century American Literature And Culture, Claire E. Lenviel

Theses and Dissertations--English

Race Youth in Twentieth-Century American Literature and Culture argues for the centrality of black youth, both real and literary, to the trajectories of African American literature and its repudiation of white supremacy. Drawing on research into the rise of the adolescent and teenager as distinct social categories, I argue that age-based subjectivity should inform how we read race-based subjectivity. My first chapter explores how early twentieth-century black periodicals push back against white supremacist theories of human development in an explicit appeal to what I call “race youth,” the children and adolescents who would take up the mantle of racial uplift. …

Super Heroes V Scorsese: A Marxist Reading Of Alienation And The Political Unconscious In Blockbuster Superhero Film, David Eltz

Kutztown University Masters Theses

As superhero blockbusters continue to dominate the theatrical landscape, critical detractors of the genre have grown in number and authority. The most influential among them, Martin Scorsese, has been quoted as referring to Marvel films as “theme parks” rather than “cinema” (his own term for auteur film). Despite this, these films often possess considerably challenging views in regards to social justice, and continue to interface with the pervading theme of alienation in increasingly abstract and progressive ways.

This thesis considers four films (1978’s Superman, 2000’s X-Men, 2013’s Captain America: Winter Soldier, and 2018’s Black Panther) from a Marxist perspective, viewing …

There Is A Secret Heart, Dru Farro

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

late 14c., originally in grammar (in reference to certain nouns that do not name concrete things), from Latin abstractus "drawn away," past participle of abstrahere "to drag away, detach, pull away, divert;" also figuratively, from assimilated form of ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + trahere "to draw," from PIE root *tragh- "to draw, drag, move."

“To drag away” I find particularly evocative.

“The candidate must ensure that the abstract refers to all the elements that would make the thesis worth consulting.”

I find this, of course, to be a paralyzing requirement. This thesis is not worth …

Cultural Context: An Argument For New Historicism Over Postmodernism In Analyzing Popular Literature, Conor King

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Of Levinas And Shakespeare: "To See Another Thus", Sandor Goodhart, Moshe Gold, Kent Lehnhof

Purdue University Press Book Previews

Scholars have used Levinas as a lens through which to view many authors and texts, fields of endeavor, and works of art. Yet no book-length work or dedicated volume has brought this thoughtful lens to bear in a sustained discussion of the works of Shakespeare. It should not surprise anyone that Levinas identified his own thinking as Shakespearean. "The play’s the thing" for both, or put differently, the observation of intersubjectivity is. What may surprise and indeed delight all learned readers is to consider what we might yet gain from considering each in light of the other.

Comprising leading scholars …

Engl 487: English Capstone Experience—A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Kelly Stage

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio documents the teaching objectives, strategies, and assessments for a capstone course in the English major at UNL. As the English Studies Capstone and as an ACE (Achievement-Centered Education) 10 course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, English 487 must help students meet key outcomes for the department and the University, but it also allows flexibility and creativity in the methods chosen to meet these requirements and structure the course. This portfolio thereby reflects on the intellectual labor of designing a particular version of these requirements and on guiding students through the design. The assessments included here are measuring traditional …

Gandalf And Guardini: A Fresh Look At The Theology Of J.R.R. Tolkein's The Lord Of The Rings, Margaret Stadtwald

Celebration of Learning

My Honors Capstone looks at the various critical responses to the theology of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, with a focus on Augustinian theology. It then posits that the modern/postmodern theology of Romano Guardini better encompasses the work’s theological depths and worth as a piece of literature.

Queer Literary Criticism And The Biographical Fallacy, Shawna Lipton

Theses and Dissertations

“Queer Literary Criticism and the Biographical Fallacy” engages with three fields of inquiry within literary studies: queer literary criticism, modernist studies, and author theory. By looking at the critical reception of four iconic queer modernist authors – Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Radclyffe Hall, and Virginia Woolf– this dissertation reinvestigates the relation between criticism and the figure of the author. Queer criticism-- despite its fundamental critique of identity—relies on the identity of the author when it blurs the distinction between the literary text and the author’s biography. Ultimately this work provides a deeper understanding of the queer relation to the modernist …

God And Man, Nicole A. Ratliff

Student Works

An analysis of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath in regards to Samuel Johnson's "The Vanity of Human Wishes." The paper's argument is structured as the book progresses. In regards to Samuel Johnson's piece, both pieces of literature progress in the same way- starting off with very vain characters and ending with a change towards a more religious side. This paper tries to expand upon the religious aspects of The Grapes of Wrath, and come up with a theory that defies the socialist aspect.

Early American Need For Christ, Baylee S. Vasquez 6161151

BYU English Symposium

A war torn land of the early Americas created a want for the relief that Christian sects sought when originally retreating from Europe. These early colonists relied on the belief of savior that would redeem them in an eternal sphere, but the absence of an immediate savior in the midst of terror inspired the idea of characters that could act as flawed, yet effective Christ-like figures in the present moment. Mary Rowlandson, Hannah Dustan, and Olaudah Equiano each follow a path that mimics that of Christ’s: death, resurrection, and providing the redemption of others through their tribulation. Dustan redeemed fellow …

Return To Virtue: Defining Moral Strength, Melissa A. Weigeshoff

BYU English Symposium

No abstract provided.

Riot Grrrl’S Legacy: The Medium Is The Message, Rosemary Larkin

BYU English Symposium

Riot Grrrl appropriated traditional, even “feminine,” media platforms to encourage third wave feminism. They ignored a central message on purpose in lieu of loud mediums meant to disrupt the status quo instead of assert a new one.

Eve's Feminist Wave, Heather S. Higgs

BYU English Symposium

Paradise Lost has been around since the seventeenth century, and yet there is still something readers cannot agree on: what is up with Eve? I propose that Eve’s role in Paradise Lost can be understood through the lens of third-wave feminism, the United States’ current feminist wave. Eve matches well with third-wave feminists in her independence and complexity of character, but what distinguishes her from feminists today is more potent in understanding her role in Paradise Lost. When faced with decisions of the self, Eve ultimately looks outward to Adam and her future posterity and chooses selflessly, exercising restraint …

The Scandal Of Sources Of Henriette-Julie De Murat’S Histoires Sublimes Et Allégoriques, Jared Willden

BYU English Symposium

Henriette-Julie de Murat claims in the foreword of Histoires sublimes et allégoriques (1699) that the only source for her tales is Straparola’s Facetious Nights, yet this claim seems to be misleading. Taking “The Savage” as an example, this essay first assesses the reasons we should doubt Murat’s claim. It then explores other possible literary sources for “The Savage,” such as Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Straparola’s “Guerrino and the Savage Man,” and the Breton folktale “Georgic and Merlin,” as well as biographical elements, both from details surrounding her exile by Louis XIV in 1702 and from her fictional …

The Lives And Deaths Of Flora Mac-Ivor And Rose Bradwardine: Romance And Reality In Sir Walter Scott's Waverley, Monica D. Allen

BYU English Symposium

In Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, Scott presents the problem of romance versus reality. He does this by personifying romance and reality through Flora Mac Ivor and Rose Bradwardine. Flora, with her passion, represents romance. While Rose, a more mellow character, represents reality. Waverley finds that he must choose between them. Rose is a “kindred spirit” to him, while Flora resembles “one of his daydreams.” They embody these ideas through a physical location. Flora’s location is the romantic Scottish Highlands, and Rose’s location is simply her father’s home. Besides location, the figurative deaths of Flora and Rose embody romance and …

The Sewing Room, Madeline L. Tracy

BYU English Symposium

A short horror story delving into the depths of family relationships. After Charlotte's mother dies, she goes to live with her grandparents. She has entered her mother's childhood world and what she witnesses could become emotional baggage- or something that could define her forever.

The Revolution Of Bath: The Writing And Re-Writing Of Social History In Jane Austen's Persuasion, Erica L. Pratt

BYU English Symposium

Hidden beneath the structure of Regency England lies a society near eruption. In Persuasion, Austen brings her characters on a journey through the landscape of social revolution. Bath serves as pinnacle of this journey –the battlefield where characters are invited to perform according to their social training.

The initial skirmish takes place before the book begins and uses social fighting techniques of the pre-Napoleonic war. It is fought within an aristocratic structure, and defeats our heroine. The second battle, however, is conducted under completely different training mechanisms. This second skirmish follows the fall of aristocracy and the rise of meritocracy. …

Who Wears The Pants: The Unraveling Of Gender In "The Things They Carried", Zoe Meyer

BYU English Symposium

In this paper, I analyze gender roles in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried arguing that war causes American society to shift, and as a result, expected gender roles and the understanding of expected behavior change. Correlating the soldiers’ understanding of what it means to be American directly to their understanding of gender, I explain that changing what it means to be men alters their idea of what it means to be citizens of the United States. Because the soldiers can no longer be identified by their gender, nor can they identify themselves as Americans, they lose their understanding of …

Katniss Everdeen: Feminist Fighter Or Teen Bride?, Baylee S. Vasquez

BYU English Symposium

Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games, can be read as a strong female character that represents the Third Wave of Feminism. She has become a measuring stick for strong female characters that have appeared after her. It is even argued that she has taken the place of the stereotypical male hero while her cohort, Peeta Mellark, plays the stereotypical female role. However, in spite of all of the things that she accomplishes during her time within the dueling ring, the main debate amongst teenagers—for whom the book was written—is who will Katniss Everdeen, goddess of the hunt and champion …

Violence And Identity In Native Son, Anna M. Gee

BYU English Symposium

Abstract: “Violence and Identity in Native Son” examines the cycle of violence that begins with white objectification of blacks and ultimately results in extralegal black violence and legislated white violence. Richard Wright’s Native Son details this cycle as it is initiated by white objectification of blacks, creating owner-object relationships between members of the two races. Objectification leads to loss of identity and blindness, cultivating indifference and shame among members of black society. For the novel’s main character Bigger, shame produces violence. Violent acts become acts of creation that enable him to formulate identity in meaningful ways. This new understanding …

The Hypocrisy Of Henry V, Shelise Rupp

BYU English Symposium

No abstract provided.

Beyond Reason: Ophelia's Quest For Truth, Jacob K. Nielsen 9443167

BYU English Symposium

In this paper, I explore Ophelia's supposed descent into 'insanity' in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Using Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, I conclude that instead of descending into insanity, Ophelia moved beyond reason in order to acquire personal truth that wasn't available to her within the realm of traditional reason. In the end, instead of assuming a passive role, Ophelia's character actively rejects the limitations of reason, allowing her to become more than just a passive object of tragic circumstances. Variations within the Quarto and Folio versions of the play support the conclusion that Ophelia actively sought to …

Wherefore Art Thou, Bae Romeo? Or, An Argument For Modernizing Shakespeare’S Texts, Erin M. Ritchie

BYU English Symposium

This research examines the trend towards modernizing Shakespeare’s plays. Though Shakespeare is valued for his intricate wordplay and changes to his text are considered sacrilegious, I will explain how Elizabethan Era views on language value finding expressing Shakespeare’s important universal social commentaries in ways that are accessible to the largest number of people. Because the majority of Shakespeare’s global fame stems from admirers who have not encountered his original works, but translations of it, this research suggests that the value gained from adapting the original texts into more modern forms of English to engage a wider audience outweighs the arguments …

Public Shaming And Power Shifts In Salem, Roma M. Blackham

BYU English Symposium

Public shaming has long been used in societies to maintain order in communities, and to enforce not only laws, but unspoken rules or societal constraints. However, while public shaming can be a valuable tool for communities, it can also lead to unjust rule – some might even call it mob rule. While many citizens of the United States tend to glorify democracy and the effects of democracy, the democratization of the justice system through public shaming has resulted in disastrous consequences in American history and promises dangerous repercussions if it continues to be used in the future. This claim is …

Ya Cover Art: Changes And Social Impact In The Last Twenty-Five Years, Jodie Bender

BYU English Symposium

This paper discusses changes to the cover art of young adult literature in the last twenty-five years, and how those changes have affected the success of YA novels and society’s perceptions of YA literature. These changes lead to the genderization of novels as well as misrepresentation of a novel’s content. This is particularly a problem among books by female authors. Genderization has a major impact on the type and gender of audience a book attracts, and it often limits, rather than expands, the type of readers attracted. Furthermore, the books that receive the highest awards, including the Michael L. Printz …