Date of Award

Fall 12-2011

Degree Type

Thesis-Restricted

Degree Name

M.F.A.

Degree Program

Creative Writing

Department

Film, Theatre, and Communication Arts

Major Professor

Nancy Nixon

Second Advisor

Amanda Boyden

Third Advisor

Shelley Puhak

Abstract

The term ‘snap’ can be defined as breaking under tension as well as a sudden sharp noise. Both definitions lend themselves to the content of this short story collection and its theme of self-realization (the awakening from an illusionary self-identity or ego).

Snap is a progression of stories that revolves around waking up. Novels such as Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing, and Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy have all examined the issue of finding identity through a breaking of the protagonist. In each case, the protagonists come to a point where they completely separate themselves from their identity, and thus are able to see themselves from a new perspective.

Snap further explores the issue of finding identity. However, unlike many postmodern predecessors it tries to give answers. The collection reveals that while we are individuals engaged in an internal struggle we are also connected to one another.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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