English Language and Literature Commons^™

Feasting At The Threshold: Eucharistic Eroticism And Homonationalism In Diane Duane's The Tale Of The Five, Taylor Driggers

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Diane Duane’s ongoing fantasy series The Tale of the Five (1979–present) is set in a world marked by constant bodily transgressions and surprises, where a human and dragon can occupy the same body and become lovers and a one-night stand can bring one face-to-face with God. This essay will argue that Duane’s series articulates eroticism in a manner comparable to Linn Marie Tonstad’s (2016) queer re-visioning of transubstantiation and bodily and spiritual transformation through the Eucharist. Acts of eating and drinking serve to highlight how characters’ pansexual, polyamorous relations with each other and the love of the Goddess spill over …

Modelling The Fear Of God In C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles Of Narnia, Brett Roscoe

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This article employs insights from cognitive approaches to literature to study how The Chronicles of Narnia evoke a religious affect known in the Christian tradition as the “fear of the Lord.” It first does what Guillemette Bolens calls a "kinesic analysis" of the books, focusing on the gestures, movements, and facial expressions related to the fear of Aslan, and then it interprets this fear in the context of Rudolf Otto’s The Idea of the Holy, a book C. S. Lewis claims had a large influence on him. Lewis, like Otto, was concerned with religious experience, specifically with how his …

The Liberty To Bind Oneself: Chesterton And The Oath Of Fëanor, Matthew Mckenna

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This paper does two things. First, it reads the oath of Fëanor in The Silmarillion through the lens of Chesterton’s philosophy of oaths, and suggests that Tolkien was speculatively influenced by Chesterton on this topic. It accomplishes this by an exposition of Chesterton’s philosophy of vows followed by an in-depth exposition of the oath of Fëanor throughout The Silmarillion. Its thesis is that the oath of Fëanor works according to the mode of Chesterton’s philosophy of oaths, that is, the oath compels the oath-taker to act. Viewing the oath of Fëanor through the framework of Chesterton’s philosophy of oath …

The Middle-(Un)Man Of Desire: A Girardian Reading Of Perelandra, Clinton Manley

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

The French polymath René Girard presents a compelling argument that all desire is mimetic. According to Girard, we don’t actually know what we want; instead, we imitate the desires of others. These models of desire act as mediators, indicating what objects or ways of being are worth pursuing. For Girard, desire exists in this middle place between a subject, a model, and an object. He famously argues that all great literature leverages an awareness of mimetic dynamics; the greater the work, the more mimetically perspicacious the author.

Given Girard’s theory, we would expect the greatest fantasy authors to erect their …

Divinity And The Void In Chinese And Thai Translations Of The Ainulindalë, Eric Reinders

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This article treats Chinese and Thai translations of the opening lines of the Ainulinalë, not to evaluate their fidelity to the original, but to explore the surplus meanings inherent in those languages. From a close reading of the first line emerge several new variations, including a new reading of the name Eru in Chinese, and a changed linguistic register of the Thai version. In each case there is some attempt to resolve the paradox of Eru as primal deity and Tolkien’s use of lower-case “he”—which one would expect to be “He.” Lacking capital letters, the Chinese and Thai translators use …

An Aspirational Cultus? Tolkien Fandom At The Borders Of Belief, Tom Emanuel

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

This paper draws upon fan studies, sociology of religion, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s theory of sub-creation to theorize the religious implications of Enyalië (Quenya: remembrance), the emotionally charged graveside memorial which closes the U.K. Tolkien Society’s annual gathering in Oxford. Employing a framework of religion as sacred worldbuilding, the author argues that Enyalië is best understood as the “secondary liturgy” of the “secondary faith community” that is Tolkien fandom. The paper concludes that Tolkien’s fiction, his community of devoted fans, and the lineaments of religious ritual have combined, in Enyalië, to produce a fan practice which troubles the boundaries …

No Ragnarök, No Armageddon: Pagan And Christian Interpretations Of The Lord Of The Rings, Matthew Thompson-Handell

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Critical responses to The Lord of the Rings from its publication up to 1981 (the year in which The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien was first published) often considered pagan and Christian elements in the work. To the extent that pagan and Christian views were opposed to each other, such opposition is grounded to a greater extent in the ambiguity present in The Lord of the Rings (at least in terms of its theology or world-view), than in any contradiction in the work. The distinction between ambiguity and contradiction is important, especially in the context of the significance of contradiction in …

Editorial, Janet Croft

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

No abstract provided.

Astronaut And Bubbles: Representing Speech Disability Through Art, Susana De La Paz

Undergraduate Research Conference

Purpose: The Astronaut's dialogue was intentionally written to highlight speech impairments, a challenge I have personally faced in my life. Growing up, I struggled with articulating certain speech sounds and found it disheartening that children's books rarely featured characters with speech disabilities. This book aims to provide comfort and visibility to children who face similar challenges.

Evolution Of My Home, Kateryna Chmil

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

A creative non-fiction essay of my meditation journey through continents, countries, cultures and time evolved my understanding of home and helped me realize the depth of connection to the meaning of home.

Nebula, Natalie Mera Ford

English Literature Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

“Woman At Point Zero” Challenges Faulty Person Schemas, Josephine Ebersole

KU Inspires! Undergraduate Research Day

This paper explores how literature can challenge faulty-person schemas as defined by Mark Bracher through an analysis of Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi. The paper outlines how Saadawi pushes her readers to question faulty-person schemas and biases and also question the impact these schemas have on institutions and structures that are rooted in bias to oppress and control minorities. The main character in the novel, Firdaus, is a woman who fights against oppressive structures for her protection and freedom, and through humanizing such a character, Saadawi demonstrates how faulty-person schemas place inaccurate judgements on people and encourage …

Promising Young Woman And The Structural Failure To Protect Women, Josephine Ebersole

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

This paper explores Emerald Fennel's film Promising Young Woman and the relationship between women and male violence and how male violence is protected by misogynistic structures, specifically in the case of sexual assault. The paper argues that institutions and structures that are rooted in patriarchy and misogyny are fundamentally unable to protect women from the actions of violent men, both in the film and in reality.

Program Booklet, Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

PDF of Program Booklet

Tolkien, Tabletop, And Orcs: The Impact Of Participatory Neomedievalisms On Authority, Tyler Bell

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Different medieval and fantasy works have utilized race in different ways. Medieval Europe used race as a structural relationship to morally and religiously other certain people groups. J.R.R. Tolkien used race in a similar way, othering the fantasy races like orcs as a way to give the audiences clear antagonists. Direct film and video game adaptations of Tolkien uphold him as the authority on fantasy race, using orcs as antagonists and glorifying violence against them. The table-top role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons initially held up the antagonistic portrayal of orcs, but through different editions, the restrictions placed on orcs have …

Sharp Knives, Dark Hearts: Class, Colonialism, And Rebellion On Anthony Bourdain's Bookshelf, Carl Cactus Warmuth

American Studies ETDs

Though often characterized as a celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain achieved stardom from his lively writing rather than skills in the kitchen. As such, the sociopolitical importance of his life and work is greatly illuminated by his compulsive literary references. Through George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London, Émile Zola’s The Belly of Paris, Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and the personas of William S. Burroughs and Hunter S. Thompson, the tensions central to Bourdain’s legacy are unveiled. This thesis offers a portrait of Bourdain as a complicated figure of …

Sounds Of Battle And Battle Of Sounds: Belliphonic In Tolkien, Ali Mirzabayati

Journal of Tolkien Research

This paper explores the concept of the belliphonic—a term denoting the acoustic dimensions of warfare—within the context of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, focusing on the Battle of the Five Armies. While modern war studies have mainly centered on the mechanized soundscapes of twentieth-century conflict, this study engages with recent scholarly efforts to recover the sonic textures of medieval battle. Drawing on theories of wartime acoustics and examples from medieval literature, the paper examines how Tolkien, informed by his expertise in Old and Middle English texts and his lived experience in World War I, crafts a dynamic and psychologically …

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 …

Motherhood Within The Patriarchal Family: An Analysis Of Frankenstein And The Scarlet Letter, Yasamin Osqueezadeh

Student Research Symposium

Frankenstein and The Scarlet Letter critique the typical patriarchal family mold. • Frankenstein critiques the gender inequalities within motherhood and creation, reimagining the family by removing the mother figure.

• Hawthorne critiques the patriarchal treatment of women by creating an all- women family structure, arguing that households can survive with a sole mother figure.

• Although he does not offer an alternative family model like Shelley, Hawthorne attempts to recreate the female role.

• Both of their arguments are informed by biographical aspects, as Shelley and Hawthorne had—according to patriarchal society—atypical mothers.

• Their alternative family models are highly …

What Is A Nation? Colonial Legacies, Identity, And Reclaiming In Métisse Autobiographical Narratives – A Case Study Of Sugar And Slate And Garçon Manqué, Thaïs Maëlle Autin

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

This thesis examines the question of national belonging in autobiographical narratives of second-generation immigrant métisse women. I study the similar aesthetic manner in which individuals with different regional and cultural influences grapple with concepts of identity, gender, racism, exile, and negotiation, and the way in which the authors anchor themselves in a broader familial and national heritage. I argue that such an enterprise can be understood as part of the alternative heritage wave, based on Andrew Higson’s theory. The texts put in question traditional understandings of nation. Doing so opens the possibility of engaging in a dialogue that expands the …

The Influence Of Field Experiences On English Language Teachers' Preparedness: An Analysis Of Teacher Education In Nigeria, Bushroh O. Animashaun

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Brief Context:

• Definition of key terms: teacher education, field experiences.
• Importance of teacher education in language education
• Challenges in the Nigerian education system
• Why focus on teacher education?

Ai Beliefs And Practices In Community College Classrooms, Julie Eng, Heather Umphlett, Jocelyn Gilchrist, Alicia Howell, Mary Ann Howell, Wendy Miller-Edwards, Laurel Pope

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

The country, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Virginia Community College System initiatives all promote generative AI within education. It is a topic of great concern and interest for higher education instructors, yet at the same time many faculty members feel uncertain about effectively integrating it into class material. To further add pressure to the AI explosion, community colleges particularly face a responsibility to prepare their students for success in this new AI-focused environment. In this article, seven faculty members from Camp Community College discuss the implications of generative AI programs, including subscriptions and chatbots, within their particular courses and how …

Ai Isn’T What We Should Be Worried About – It’S The Humans Controlling It, Billy J. Stratton

English and Literary Arts: Faculty Scholarship

Stratton examines depictions of AI in popular media and literature, drawing comparisons to real-world AI and humanity's capacity to harness technology for good or ill.

Ethics Of End-Of-Life Care: Alzheimer's And Assisted Dying, Callan Plant '25

Honor Scholar Theses

Assisted dying and euthanasia are hotly contested end-of-life care options that present pressing dilemmas concerning patient autonomy, relief of suffering, and the misapplication of these delicate medical procedures. Access to and prohibition of these options is predicated on years of legal history, including continuous adjustment, and is actively contested in many places. Each country where at least one of these options is accessible, such as the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, possesses largely similar restrictions and guidelines, with notable exceptions. Through the examination of data in countries that allow access to assisted dying, euthanasia, or both, it is possible …

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 …

Review Of Perspectives On Good Writing In Applied Linguistics And Tesol, Jennifer E. Eidum

Journal of Response to Writing

No abstract provided.

Heroes At The Clinic, Dalila Ulloa Perez

FUSION

This project explores different themes of heroism as seen through comparing my volunteer experience at the Veterinary Clinic at the Avenues in Marietta with major works of World Literature. It is shown how dedicated and selfless the staff are, as well as how strong and content the animals are. It puts an emphasis on how little acts of service can truly make a meaningful impact as it helps to create a broader understanding of heroism in our society.

For this assignment, students were asked to examine modern and ancient literary definitions of heroism by completing community service hours in person …

Feminist Stories: Then And Now, Brooke Kelly

FUSION

This short essay explores the connections between themes in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's 1892 short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" and the 2024 film, Immaculate, specifically focusing on each story's affect on feminism.

The essay was originally written in response to a discussion post where students were asked to pick one American literary text and one piece of contemporary media that addressed the same issues/character types/ plot/ideas, etc. of today.

We Have Always Lived In The Castle: A Cento, Julia Ferguson, Elizabeth Mam, Rachel Mugo, Kelsey Kagan

FUSION

This poem was created as part of a multimodal project for an American Literature class using the following prompt:

As a group, you will create a 100-line Cento poem based primarily on the book you chose. Individually, you should highlight and/or copy sentences and phrases that “speak” to you, that you find beautiful or intriguing, or that capture the elements of tone, style, message, mood and theme of your book. After you have each selected your 25-50 lines, you should add them to a group authored Google Doc. Then you can sort through the lines and decide which ones you …