First Advisor

Leni Zumas

Date of Publication

Spring 5-22-2014

Document Type

Closed Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing

Department

English

Language

English

Subjects

Alienation (Rhetoric) -- Fiction, Short stories

DOI

10.15760/etd.1855

Physical Description

1 online resource (ii, 116 pages)

Abstract

Viktor Shklovsky writes that "the technique of art is to make objects 'unfamiliar,' to make forms difficult, to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged." This collection of short fiction capitalizes on that aim, weaving together history and humor with an absurd, biographical style.

"Himilco and Other Stories" includes several pieces of constrained fiction in the style of Oulipan authors, but produced with original rules and algorithms. "Zugzwang" results naturally from Donald Barthelme's form, whereas other stories capitalize on a more modern interpretation of the much-used zoomorphic narration. Most are written in the first-person perspective, though the scope and focus of each often speaks to a broad human philosophy. Stories range from the dark pine forests of Maine to ancient Tunisian deserts, and are often told by jaunty, untrustworthy narrators.

Taken as a whole these stories lay bare a desperation born from absence and disrepair, fear and adolescence--eight stories that struggle to answer the question, how do we get better?

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

This thesis is only available to students, faculty and staff at PSU.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/12209

Download

Share

COinS