This is a coming of age story about two very different boys – Jason, a Northerner who ends up stuck in a small Southern town and Billy, a Southern boy with an abusive father. The boys become friends and grow up learning the dark secrets that are allowed to fester in a tiny southern town ruled by the Good Ol’ Boy System of justice. The story chronicles how their shared experiences change them in ways they never imagined and ultimately destroys their friendship and their lives. Through a history of violence and prejudice, Billy and Jason learn who they really are and just how far they’re willing to go to get what they want. They discover the true meaning of strength and weakness and how to survive in a world where they don’t fit in. The story explores the issues of violence, drug abuse, and murder that often lie hidden beneath the façade of fanatic Christianity, propriety, and status in seemingly innocent, charming Southern towns.

Non-heterosexually identified young people, particularly those with a lesbian identity, have always experienced a marginalised position within Australian culture (Burnett, 1997; Gamson, 2000; Signorile, 1995; Thonneman, 1999). There is very little empirical research available which explores the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives (Brown, 1995; Burnett, 1997; Gamson, 2000). Hence myths, stereotypes, invisibility, lack of understanding and marginalisation of non-heterosexual identified people continue to be perpetuated in mainstream Australian society (Baird, 2005; Burnett, 1997; MacBride-Steward, 2004). The anthropological study presented in this dissertation was designed to explore and theorise the lived experiences of young lesbians post-initial coming-out within an Australian context using Memory Work methodology (Haug, 1987). The first goal of this project was to describe and provide details of the under researched and misunderstood lives of young lesbians between the ages of 23 and 33 years of age who had identified as lesbian for between two and ten years; what is termed here as post-initial coming-out. The second goal of the study was to gain insight into how young lesbians, post-initial coming-out, make sense of their lives, selves and identities, and positioning within society given the negative myths and stereotypes which currently exist within the general population in relation to people with non-heterosexual identities. The literature and data presented throughout the dissertation highlight the issues of invisibility, marginalisation, and homophobia experienced by each of the participants within a predominately heterosexual society. They also emphasised the inner strength and resilience developed by each of the participants in the face of adversity as they attempted to construct and make sense of their self narrative and positioning as defined by themselves and the positioning and identity imposed upon them by significant others. The data have been organised into four main focus areas; negotiating the family, work, heterosexual and lesbian landscapes. Lastly, the study sought to further develop and refine the Memory Work methodology (Haug, 1987), particularly as it pertains to a doctoral research program. This study has been able, via the use of Memory Work methodology, to provide richly descriptive and in-depth snap-shots of the lives of young lesbians post-initial coming-out in an Australian context which represents a unique contribution to the research literature. The study concludes with reflections on the methodology as it pertains to a doctoral research program and recommendations for further research which have developed as a result of this investigation. The five participants in this study were strong, independent, brave young wimmin searching for acceptance and an understanding of their post-initial coming-out lesbian identities in an Australian context. While there were only a small number of participants, their memories and experiences yield rich new insights into the everyday lives and experiences of young lesbians.

Disturbance has been recognised as a presence in Yeats’s poetry for some time, although its discussion has not been extensive. The purpose of this thesis is to explore a particular type of disturbance in Yeat’s poetry that has not yet been investigated: disruption, and its relation to the Bible. I argue that disruption, in its meanings of interruption, disorder, fracturing, and division, is a distinct presence in a number of Yeat’s poems, and that it manifests in three key categories: disruption relating to Yeatsian poiesis, Yeat’s interest in and use of instances of disruption in the Bible, and disruption of the Bible itself. / I begin by considering “The Second Coming” as a notable instance of disruption and its religious and biblical resonances. I argue that this work, in reference to an instance of disruption in the Bible, undergoes textual disruption close to its centre. I develop an account of the poem as divided into opposing texts, identities, and prophetic currents, all in close relation to the Bible. I then turn to a range of contextual matters raised by the discussion of “The Second Coming”. Starting with a consideration of religion and the Bible in Yeat’s artistic vision, I argue that these two factors are important to Yeat’s envisioning of art and that disruption is deeply involved with both. Following this I investigate the relation between disruption and the Bible itself, demonstrating that disruption is a strong presence in the biblical narrative. I then consider Yeat’s reception of the Bible, focusing on Yeat’s perception of the Authorised Version and on Blake as a precursor. I argue that the Authorised Version was significant for Yeats, and that Blake was influential in demonstrating the poetic possibilities of biblically-related disruption for Yeats. / After discussing these contextual matters I embark upon a wider survey of biblically-related disruption in Yeat’s poetry. First, I consider a group of poems from one of Yeat’s earlier poetic books, The Wind Among the Reeds. I argue that these works, through the figure of the biblical wind, explore the conjunction of disruption and the Bible in each of the three categories of disruption outlined above. I then turn to a second set of poems that I group together due to a shared theme of inspiration. I argue that these works also engage with disruption and the Bible, particularly in relation to the category of disruption relating to the act of poiesis. The last group of poems that I consider are concerned with central events in the life of Christ. I argue that these works demonstrate a dynamic exploration of disruption and the Bible in relation to these events, focusing particularly on the nature of Christ as God and Saviour. I then proceed to a consideration of disruption in Yeats apart from its expression in the poetry. Seeking to gain a deeper insight into disruption as an element of Yeatsian poiesis, I consider some relevant theoretical perspectives before suggesting that disruption in Yeats can be constructively interpreted in terms of potentiality.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2007. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 316-341. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 293-315).

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2007. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 316-341. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 293-315).

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Psychology-Counseling Psychology, 2007. / "August, 2007." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 04/24/2008) Advisor, Charles A. Waehler; Committee members, John E. Queener, James R. Rogers, Priscilla R. Smith, James L. Werth, Jr.; Department Chair, Paul E. Levy; Dean of the College, Ronald F. Levant; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 36-41).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 23, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-142). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Jerrilyn McGregory, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of English. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 12, 2005). Includes bibliographical references.