Schedule of Events

Originating in Ancient Egypt and popularized in Ancient Greece, theatre has proved itself to be a lasting and crucial part of society. The earliest forms of theatre are based in religious practices and rituals -- focusing on the stories of that culture’s gods and goddesses in order to honor them. Though theatre content has evolved over the years, one thing remains constant: it is a reflection of the culture in which it is made. In modern day, many of the most popular stories continue to be based in religious mythology or cultural legends. However, the American theatrical experience has focused primarily on mythology and legends from the European cultures, with limited to no content made from such things from Mexican and Indigenous cultures. Through modern language and theatrics, this creative capstone aims to explore and promote one of the popular Aztec myth of Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl, the once human forms of the volcanoes which overlook Mexico City. While the play begins in modern day, it soon transitions into the peak of the Aztec Empire, therefore exploring the traditions and the role of the gods in their society, as well as the tragic love story of Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl.

Popularized in the 19th century, Gothic literature is characterized by its exploration of abhorrent desires, horror that elicits both thrill and terror, and society’s fear and fascination for the unknown or ‘the other’. Such explorations have made it easy for the modern LGBTQ+ readers to identify with queer readings of Gothic literature as abhorrent desires and ‘otherness’ have long characterized society’s perception of their community. This creative capstone project aims to present a possible reading of Frankenstein as an inadvertent story about the tragic queer experience as well as the destructive ways one can try to compensate for their otherness. Posing as a prequel to Mary Shelley’s novel, the short story is set during Victor Frankenstein’s brief yet formative time in Ingolstadt and psychoanalyzes his creature as a physical manifestation of his  possible same-sex desires. Through the use of traditional and modern conventions of the Gothic genre as well as nonlinear storytelling, the story suggests Victor Frankenstein’s creation as both an act of projection and repression that copes with what he views are his abhorrent desires.

“The Real Reason I say I Hate Men” is an exploration into the terrifying world of what it means to be a woman and the daily challenges we face through the medium of poetry. This form allows for a deeper understanding of the trials women go through in their daily lives, by employing the use of personal narrative as well as offering an emotional viewpoint on these challenges. The purpose of these poems is to highlight the strength we have as women, while also acknowledging that our daily experiences in a patriarchal world are valid. This collection also seeks to engage my skills as a writer, not only through structural poetry, but also through word choice, vivid use of imagery, and willingness to explore a combination of techniques to display my comfortability with this form. To fulfill this, I begin with the worst experiences of my life as I make my way to the happier lessons I have learned, such as how I was only made stronger through my trials, and now, I am able to help others going through the same experiences. All of the poems are separate, but each flow into the next, creating a chain of personal realization and growth. My goal is to combine writer and reader into a single entity, experiencing the narrative together and to build an understanding of what it means to be a woman.

Greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ identities has emerged to the foreground in recent years—and while this in itself is worthy of celebration—the issue that arises currently is how authentically can certain media portray these identities given that the majority of mainstream creators are not LGBTQ+. Literature has served as a place for LGBTQ+ communities to thrive, but the representation often seen is hidden between the lines—left to the readers to interpret, and not necessarily the author's intention. Video games have always been capable of endless opportunities for LGBTQ+ players to, at the very least, find one character they can relate with; however, these characters are—once again—hidden through optional dialogues, minor characters, and or completely censored out of the finished product. The varied representation is evident in the novels Annie John and Egalia’s Daughters by Jamaica Kincaid and Gerd Brantenberg respectively and the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) The Legend of Heroes as all of these works showcase distinctly sensitive experiences with gender and sexuality that most LGBTQ+ readers and players can resonate with.  This project will aim to analyze these different creative modes to create a clearer understanding as to what novels and video games are capable of in terms of inclusivity, and how beneficial these modes can be to the communities who are desperately vying for a space they can accurately, and comfortably, see themselves in.

Students vary in their interests, motivations, and reading levels, yet in the traditional high school English curriculum, they are often all expected to read the same novels and have similar take-aways from these readings. Most of the assigned novels in the typical curriculum are considered to be classic or highly-acclaimed literature, and the language in this literature may seem distant and unfamiliar to students. I find that many students may form more meaningful connections when reading a contemporary piece of literature and would perhaps benefit greatly from having this option. This project explores the possibility of replacing or successively teaching a respected piece of literature with a contemporary piece of literature that may deliver the same learning outcomes in a familiar, more engaging way for students. I analyze the highly respected novels The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which are commonly used in the English classroom. Aligning these canonical novels with the contemporary novel Age of Consent by Amanda Brainerd, I aim to discuss how the Common Core curriculum standards for high school English can be met through the utilization of various novels, regardless of critical acclamation or canonical value. Engaging with writings by Mike Rose and George P. Landow, I explain the importance of scaffolding the familiar to the unfamiliar -- bridging a contemporary novel to a canonical novel.

 History repeats itself. No matter how much time passes, we still face similar problems, and Science Fiction reminds us of this. Many of them identify the problems that society has by taking a look at the past and present. They have stories touching upon ideological frameworks in many forms such as discrimination in hopes that we act on this information and work towards improving society so that these problems do not worsen in the future.

Shield & Tower is a novel which follows the lives of protagonists Karina Edevane and Archer Santoro as they hunt down a legendary monster that threatens the small college town of Briar, Oregon. It is a new adult novel that fits most closely into the genre of “urban fantasy,” and employs themes of fate, family, and trust. This novel encapsulates the author’s goals and ideals both as a writer and as a future novelist, including her hopes for her career as an author in the young adult and emerging new adult genres. By spending her fall semester working on Shield & Tower as a part of her capstone project, she has been able to explore the many ways in which this novel exercises skills in character development, worldbuilding, and narrative structure, as well as drawing upon experiences both at Cal Lutheran and while studying abroad for inspiration. This project serves to exemplify not only the author’s growth as a writer through her curriculum as an English major studying creative writing, but also her goals and potential for future growth while pursuing a complete first draft, publication, and a future career as an author.