Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

4946

Date

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Major

Creative Writing

Committee Chair

John Bensko

Committee Member

Ladrica Menson-Furr

Committee Member

Brandy Wilson

Abstract

Homesick Hallelujahs explores the complexities of southern life. What begins as a bildungsroman of a young, lower-class Tennessean soon evolves into an exploration of southern culture and values, a journey across what is real and what is hoped-for in the lives of Appalachian southerners, and an exploding of themes that show up along the way. Racial tensions, religion and the lack thereof, the escape from the mundane that literature provides, identity politics, America's deep and divisive history--all of these things come to the forefront as the work progresses beyond "local color" into a realm that is universal and unabashedly American. Woven throughout the collection is the grounding presence of a young man searching for a place (and a voice) in a world that is set against him.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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