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theses

The motivation for this Capstone in Creative Fiction is two-fold: first, my goal is to expand my understanding of the fiction mechanism by working in the medium; second, my goal is to delve into my own experience with creative works to find what sources have influenced my writing. Under the guidance of Professor Grodstein, I was able to turn my research into introspection that answered two questions: why I chose to write fiction and why this is important. Additionally, family is an unquestionable root for later life choices and motivations, and for this reason I based my stories on both a strict and a loose definition of “family,” with each story hoping to untangle the threads of human experience within that web. Because the stories are relatively brief, they allow for quicker plot acceleration and a more narrowed focus on individual moments or scenes, thus exposing in each story what defines family and its respective weight to the plot. Through my research and inner examination, I learned that in order to write fiction, one must read and experience creative works constantly, as it would rarely be possible to write something without being in some way influenced by other art. As noted by Professor Grodstein, there is rarely a direct translation from works read to works written in style or content; but reading and viewing widely (some, but not all of my influences are listed in this Capstone examination) allow the writer to sense the nuances in texts for internal rhythms, clear descriptions, and precise prose. Through fiction, the hope is that realities about the non-fiction world in which we live can be explored, clarified, and beautified. Just as poetry allows writers to deal with difficult emotions and emerge whole, so does fiction allow writers to explore situations that demand further clarification and emerge intact. My consistent access to the best of the written word has been a privilege I do not take for granted, and this Capstone is an exploration of that privilege as well as a culmination of years of dedication to my work.

ETD_9499

M.A.

Includes bibliographical references

by Erika Haines Zuckero

doi:10.7282/t3-mjbp-xf12

ETD graduate

The author owns the copyright to this work.