Bitter Relish
Date of Award
January 2015
Degree Type
Closed Access Thesis
Document Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
English and Theatre
First Advisor
Derek Nikitas
Department Affiliation
English and Theatre
Second Advisor
Nancy Jensen
Department Affiliation
English and Theatre
Third Advisor
Julie Hensley
Department Affiliation
English and Theatre
Abstract
This is a thematically linked collection of short stories that involves strange romance with unlikely pairings: gaps in age, health, and class; estrangement in occupation, beliefs, and physicality; even a human's obsession with an object. Each story contains a scene that zooms in on food. There is reoccurrence of misplaced feelings that are mistaken for love or admiration. The plots range from life crushing experiences to simply a fleeting thought. It is intended to parallel the volatility of strong emotions and the temperament of human nature. For instance: the envy of youth, attraction to immorality, need for melodrama, disinterest when feelings are reciprocated, and the glamour of lust. The protagonists usually become aware of these trivial motivations, usually followed by the collapse of a particular feeling that perhaps never really existed, a take on paralysis.
Copyright
Copyright 2015 Heather Noland
Recommended Citation
Noland, Heather, "Bitter Relish" (2015). Online Theses and Dissertations. 299.
https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/299