Paranoid rhetoric and spatial obsession : Elizabeth Bowen, Kenneth Burke, and the Blitz, 2015

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Tic

Identifier: b7607923

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: 2015

Creator

Tichansky, Hannah D. (Hannah Deborah) (1989- ) (Author, Person)
Bluemel, Kristin, 1964- (Thesis advisor, 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) : 53 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Introduction [excerpt]

Elizabeth Bowen's World War II novel, The Heat of the Day, is one of the most nuanced and engaging works to emerge from the bombs and rubble of the Blitz. From September of 1940 through May of 1941 Great Britain faced nightly air raids, resulting in thousands of tons of explosives dropped, a million damaged or destroyed homes, and over a hundred thousand civilian casualties. While the majority of the damage was contained to these nine months, V1 and V2 bombings continued through 1945. The Heat of the Day, written over the course of the entire war, and published in 1948, is set in 1942 with flashbacks to the early days of the Blitz in 1940. The novel tells the story of Stella Rodney, caught between her passion for her lover, Robert, and the allegations that he is a Nazi spy. Stella, who had met Robert in the midst of the Blitz, must reconcile her suspicions and feelings for Robert whilst dealing with the mysterious figure of Harrison, the counter spy who had tipped off Robert's activities. International affairs become personal ones as the three central figures grapple with loyalties and individual anxieties. While the wealthy Stella struggles with her own powerlessness and turmoil, the working-class Louie and Connie strive to find their place within a war zone. This paper examines the main characters' destructive relationships that reflect the paranoia and destruction that occurred during the period. Not only do the paranoid relationships themselves reflect the heightened emotions of the Blitz, but also the language used to describe said relationships is paranoid. The espionage, heightened strain, and confusion run parallel to the state of Britain, and the unsettled ending is indicative of the unknown outcomes of the war. Through my incorporation of rhetoric I will bring literary theory to bear on my reading of the novel, as well as deconstruct contemporary literary theory to allow for a rhetorical reading of literature. At the same time, I would argue that literature and rhetoric can work in tandem; just as rhetoric can provide new readings of literature, so too can literature provide historical and artistic context for rhetorical vocabulary and concepts.