Date of Award

Fall 12-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

English

Program/Concentration

Creative Writing

Committee Director

Kent Wascom

Committee Member

John McManus

Committee Member

Renee Olander

Abstract

Bastard is a collection of eleven memoirs and personal essays that center on the question ‘what does it mean to be a parent?’ The narrator of the collection looks inward at his own experience with trauma, while also trying to situate the origin of the trauma in the relationship with his grandmother and father. Themes of memory, race, escape, and overcoming adversity run throughout the collection. There are very graphic depicts of child abuse in several pieces, as well as candid conversations about race and racism. By the final piece, the answer to the central question has been reached and the narrator has embarked on a journey to be a better parent. This collection draws inspiration from writers such as Richard Wright, Mary Karr, Harriet Jacobs, and Maxine Hong Kingston.

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).

DOI

10.25777/4z9z-4076

ISBN

9798762197199

Available for download on Thursday, December 18, 2031

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