Reading reality in House of Leaves, 2013

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Rin

Identifier: b7607920

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate English program. The holdings are primarily bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts or Master of Fine Arts degrees.

From the Collection:

Students become eligible to pursue the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree if they have obtained a Master of Arts (M.A.) in English from Monmouth University and demonstrate a proficiency for creative writing through a thesis or equivalent work.

From the Collection:

After completing their 30-credit M.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration, Monmouth’s M.F.A. students take an additional 18 credits of intensive creative writing study that includes the completion of a book-length Creative Thesis.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2013

Creator

Rindner, Rachel (1985- ) (Author, Person)
Tietge, David J. (1966-2017) (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 41 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is a text unlike any other. Its immediate appearance, impossible to distinguish from its content, directs the narrative. It contains several embedded narrative layers, all of which occasionally overlap and collapse upon each other as the text deliberately negates all of its narratives in turn. The readability of this text cannot be taken for granted. In order to glean any sort of plot from House of Leaves, one must develop a strategy for reading it. This thesis proposes one such strategy, which is pinpointing a dream sequence as a moment of pure reality. Freudian dream theory justifies imbuing a dream sequence with this kind of authority, and Jung's thoughts on the collective unconscious point toward a universal dream vocabulary that is not unlike the presumed commonalities of waking life. Focusing on the dream sequence also provides insight into the text's most prominent talking point: the blue ink used to color every use of the word "house." I believe that the word "house" is set apart from the rest of the text as a constant reminder of the meaning of the dream.