Sleight of hand, 2025

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis McG

Identifier: b7932117

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

See more See less

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.

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.

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.

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: 2025

Creator

McGuire, Kaitlin (1994- ) (Author, Person)
Graedon, Alena (1980- ) (Thesis advisor, Person)
Moscaliuc, Mihaela, 1972- (Thesis advisor, Person)
Womack, Kenneth (1966- ) (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

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

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (732-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

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

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

Full Extent

1 Items (print book) : 61 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Sleight of Hand is told from the point of view of Remy, a senior high school student, who is internally battling with her eating disorder. Remy feels that she is not good enough for her boyfriend, Knox, and continuously talks down to herself, comparing her body and beauty to other girls in high school. Externally, she is dealing with her brother’s drug addiction, her boyfriend’s loyalty to her as well as his depression and her parents’ messy divorce. Remy’s dad had an affair with her mom’s friend and Remy cannot find forgiveness within to forgive him, or his mistress.

Knox is grappling with his internal battle of depression, devious thoughts, and attempts at suicide. Knox is fighting for his life and trying to get back on track of experiencing life as any teenage kid should, but externally battling Remy, friends, coaches, teachers, and rumors that something is wrong with him; he fears admitting he is not mentally okay and being looked at differently. Knox has mastered lying to the people that care for him most, Remy, his mom, his brother, and his grandpa. He has also mastered the art of fooling his psychiatrist and therapist, forcing them to believe he is on the upward part of his mental health battle.

Remy and Knox’s mom, Leslie, start to see some odd behavior; Knox dropping his AP honors courses, losing his passion for baseball and his long-time dream of going to Rutgers, and resenting taking care of his grandpa, who is more of a dad to him than his actual father. Knox’s behavior worries Remy, as he twists reality, believing his own versions of events. As these moments happen, it is more apparent that there is a magician in Knox’s mind, tricking him into believing reality, is not reality.

Keywords: young adult novel, mental health awareness, depression, suicide, eating disorder(s), teenage relationships.