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Ray Bradbury's theory of writing and his writing practice concerning his views on the nature and role of the writer in society. The basic sources utilized were Bradbury's essays on writing, and his fictional works dealing with literature and authors. The thesis dealt in depth with his theory of writing found in his essay, "How to Keep and Feed a Muse." Although stories about writing and writers were taken from nearly every book Bradbury has written, particular emphasis was placed on Fahrenheit 451 and stories from books such as The Martian Chronicles which concerned bookburning societies. This thesis also considered critics who maintained differences of opinions about Bradbury's subject matter and his outlook on the future role of writing.In addition, this thesis discussed Bradbury's development as a writer as it related to his views on the nature of the writer. Finally, Bradbury's fiction exemplified his views on the roles of the writer as healer, moralist and prophet.

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1961. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-102)

Dissertation--Zürich, 1920. / Lebenslauf. One page of bibliography.

This study examines popular politics in Uttar Pradesh with specific reference to Gorakhpur, Basti and Azamgarh bewtween 1920-60. The focus is on the politicisation of the kisans, ordinary men and women who were numerically the largest section of rural society. It is argued that their world views and political aspirations were informed by clearly defined notions of social justice and power relations, themselves based on particular problems stemming from the nature of julum, one of its meanings being the tyranny of the zamindars. This thesis makes extensive use of oral sources, utilising social anthropological tools and places greater weight on folk wisdom, local customs and cosmological beliefs. The social construction of gender is important to this study. It is argued that kisans' politics made no fundamental change to the pre-existing system of gender relations, because gender was not the object of protest. It is also argued that their political aspirations remained largely independent of official Congress politics: the kisans were not passive victims, but actively resisted and manipulated elements of elite domination by pronouncing their own goals. Although all kinds of popular associations with the environment, myths, legends and customs were used to mobilise the kisans, they realised their political identities not within the framework of the nationalist discourse, but against it. The Congress was forced to espouse the kisans' demand for outright land ownership and promise the abolition of zamindari in its bid to take over office. This study concludes by stating that the historical weight and energy of these popular movements decisively influenced the government and compelled it to adopt a socialist agenda.

One of the key expressions in 20th century literature and philosophy is "the absurd", a term much employed by modern man to communicate his sense of a universe where human life appears to lack transcendant significance. The French existentialists, in particular Jean-Paul Sartre, deal extensively with this problem and how to confront it without falling victim to the despair, nausea, emptiness and anguish that inevitably follow. Unlike Sartre and Camus whose treatment of the absurd is essentially grave in tone, Boris Vian injects humour and fantasy into a work that remains nonetheless profoundly significant and moving. The laughter he provokes is tinged with echoes of despair; his very humour intensifies our sense of the absurdity implicit in the human condition. Vian's five principal novels, Vercoquin et le Plancton, L'Ecume des Jours, L'Automne à Pékin, L 'Herbe Rouge, and L'Arrache-Coeur reflect a marked preoccupation with man's quest for happiness, in his opinion the only valid raison d'être. The question remains nevertheless, how to attain this happiness in a universe fraught with obstacles which seem expressly destined to deny it. This thesis examens Boris Vian's enquiry into the nature of these obstacles to happiness, into the sources of man's sense of the absurd: firstly with regard to modern society and its judicial, educational, political, and religious institutions; secondly as regards the private life of the individual, in particular his experience with love in its diverse forms; thirdly in view of man's metaphysical situation, his place in the universe, his relationship to objects, to others and to himself. The study of the absurd in each of these three categories occupies the first three chapters of this thesis. The fourth and final chapter deals with the author's reactions to his overwhelming impression of life's absurdity. The impossibility of reconciling his own fundamental individualism with the total political commitment advocated by Sartre leads Vian to adopt an attitude resembling a type of contemporary epicurism. Fleeting moments of sheer joie de vivre in the work of Vian in some measure lighten the shadow of pessimism planing over his vision of life. His best defense against the absurd however, is his ability to translate it, to communicate it, and to attack it through parody, caricature, burlesque, and satire, in a literature not completely unlike that of Ionesco and Beckett, where one is at last permitted to laugh. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate

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Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

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