While some theorists have hinted at various social functions served by the gothic genre—such as providing an outlet for grief, anxiety, and violence in their various forms—recent research within the last few decades into sociology, military science, and trauma studies supplies compelling new ways of rereading the horror genre. In addition to providing an outlet for grief, anxiety, and violence in their various forms, horror media can now be read as a preemptive measure in an effort to mediate the immediate and long-term effects of the trauma and horror faced by humanity. I argue that in much the same way an author may write a self-help tract such as The Gift of Fear to try and inform women how to repel a sexual predator by graphically relating harrowing tales of sexual predation, so do some horror texts and film claim to preemptively mediate different types of trauma before, during, and after it occurs. This is done in each case not by merely scaring readers, but by inoculating them against them against future debilitating trauma before, during, and after it may occur. The relatively recent (or at least recently popularized) genre of self-help books that overtly seeks to prepare its audience for future trauma by exposing them to it in a controlled environment draws upon the canon of gothic literature for its inspiration as well as for its rhetorical strategies and literary devices. Without discounting the aesthetics and the utility of horror as a psychological outlet, I will show that gothic media can be reread and reconfigured within this new framework. By realigning horror studies within the framework of trauma studies and the possibility for inoculation against future trauma, this study will provide new insight into one how popular culture often portrays trauma through text, and I will seek to establish a new category affiliated with both trauma theory and horror, the study and representation of pre-memory. This thesis will also present as a case study the rhetorical self-inoculation of American horror author H.P. Lovecraft.

The goal of this thesis is to explain the nature of ethnic humor in American society. This will be achieved through three different processes. First, this thesis will explain the history of African American humor and recount it’s development into it’s own brand of comedy. Second, it will explain the nature of African American humor and how it is a tool used to revolt against the oppressive and hegemonic nature of western society. Additionally, this paper aims to prove that African American humor is a coping mechanism for African Americans. This thesis will also discuss the duality of African American humor as both comedy and social critique. Another aspect this work will explore is how comedians deal with unintended stereotype perpetuation and also how different audiences respond to the racial jokes of the comedians. Finally, this thesis will outline how to better present jokes so that the perpetuation of racism and stereotypes does not happen. As a coping mechanism, African American humor takes stereotypes about African Americans, both positive and negative, and converts them into humorous topics that can make the stereotypes positive (Daube, 2010). This play on stereotypes, although it can be incredibly funny and also makes for great social commentary, is also very dangerous (Apte, 1987). Without proper context and understanding of the joke, it is possible that the intended social critique is not conveyed to the audience and instead the humor unintentionally perpetuates negative stereotypes. The value of African American humor as both entertainment and a coping mechanism is immeasurable (Cater, May, & Bird, 2012)

The subject-matter of the following essay is to investigate the relationship between what is commonly called Deep Ecology or Biocentric Philosophy, as articulated by the co-founder of the Deep Ecology Movement, Arne Naess, and later proponents of the biocentric school of environmentalist thought. I contrast Naess’ concept of Self-realization as founded in his Ecosophy T to the ideas of american conservationist and co-founder of the radical green movement Earth First! Dave Foreman, and to the controversial finnish environmentalist and ecofascist Pentti Linkola’s ideological agenda of population-reduction respectively. According to some critics of the movement, especially the social ecologist Murray Bookchin and French liberal philosopher Luc Ferry, the Deep Ecology ideology is essentially misanthropic and totalitarian in structure. A central idea among deep ecologists is that ecosystems and natural entities have intrinsic value in themselves, even outside a human social context. This idea is thought of among deep ecologists to create a philosophically sound basis for counteracting the environmental global crisis. Both Bookchin and Ferry argue that this idea reduces the role of human reason and ethics in a fundamental way, especially in relation to questions concerning population-growth control. My aim is to show that the original intention of Arne Naess in his philosophy (Ekosofi T) does not resemble either Ferrys focus of critique, neither the controversial statements made by Dave Foreman and Earth First! nor Linkolas population-control agenda.

The purpose of this project centered on the influential literary magazine Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern. Using Bruno Latour’s network theory as well as the methods put forth by Robert Scholes and Clifford Wulfman to study modernist little magazines, I analyzed the influence McSweeney’s has on contemporary little magazines. I traced the connections between McSweeney’s and other paradigmatic examples of little magazines—The Believer and n+1—to show how the McSweeney’s aesthetic and business practice creates a model for more recent publications. My thesis argued that The Believer continues McSweeney’s aesthetic mission. In contrast, n+1 positioned itself against the McSweeney’s aesthetic, which indirectly created a space within the little magazines for writers, philosophers, and artists to debate the prevailing aesthetic theories of the contemporary period. The creation of this space connects these contemporary magazines back to modernist little magazines, thereby validating my decision to use the methods of Scholes and Wulfman.

David Harrison Macon (1870-1952) is often memorialized for his showmanship rather than his banjo playing. To compartmentalize such a significant American musician yields a wide gap within scholarship about Macon, country music history and the banjo. Macon’s banjo playing, documented through over two-hundred and fifty recordings made between the 1920s and 1950s, represents an array of cultures, eras, ethnicities, and styles all preserved in the repertoire of one of the most prolific country musicians of the 20th century. This study reveals Macon’s playing by considering such factors as influences that preceded his professional tenure, identifying elements within his playing from specific stylistic origins, and by technically notating selections from Macon’s canon that represent those influences. To understand the instrumental playing of one of early country music’s most important figures broadens understanding of banjo influences from the nineteenth century which laid the foundation for the instrument’s renaissance in the twentieth century.

This thesis explores Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' 1986-87 comic book series Watchmen according to its network structure, paying particular attention to page layout and the establishment of or deviation from the nine-panel "waffle iron" grid. This reading aims to better understand the comic book form, connecting the work of comics theorist Theirry Groensteen to certain elements of actor-network theory and Ian Bogost's notion of the ontograph--a map of being that emphasizes the interobjectivity of networked nodes. This thesis explores the ontographic nature of the comic book form more generally before tracing the meta-textual ontograph in Watchmen. The thesis then examines the network within the single panel, the multi-panel page layout, and the collaborative network of artist and author. Finally, this thesis explores how Watchmen as an ontograph exploits the affordances of the comic book form in order to construct creative temporalities.

Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Two separate texts are submitted towards the degree MA in Kreatiewe Afrikaanse Skryfkunde. Firstly, a thesis with the title ‘Drempellewens: die uitbeelding van bewussyn in vyf debuutromans’, and secondly a novel called Hanna in die park. The novel and the thesis are thematically related. The focus of the thesis is the portrayal of the consciousness of protagonists who, because of their age and situation, may be considered ‘threshold characters’. The question that is posed is the following: what kind of narrator and what narratological strategies can best express the unfixed nature of the protagonist in a so-called ‘coming of age’-novel? To examine this issue, theoretical tools are taken from mainly two sources: the work of anthropologists Arnold van Gennep and Victor W. Turner about the liminal phase in rites of passage, and Dorrit Cohn’s theories about the depiction of consciousness, as set out in her book, Transparent Minds (1983). Five debut novels are discussed using these concepts. They are Die Ryk van die Rawe (Jaco Fouché), Annerkant die Longdrop (Anoeschka von Meck), trips (Manie de Waal), Less than Zero (Bret Easton Ellis) and You Shall Know Our Velocity! (Dave Eggers). The liminal characteristics of the protagonists and their situations are discussed. Using Cohn’s three modes of narration, namely psychonarration, narrated monologue and quoted monologue, a discussion follows of what effect the kind of narrator and narratological modes has on the convincing and striking portrayal of a liminal character’s consciousness. The conclusion is reached that a narrator who is also in some kind of liminal position, or who experiences a threshold-consciousness, is most effective in the portrayal of the nature of liminality. The novel is about a young woman, Hanna Moolman, who is having trouble with the requirements of becoming adult. She works as a waitress in Stellenbosch and leads a somewhat lonely, frustrated life. Her relationship with especially her mother and her younger sister is strained. When her sister, a beautician in training, becomes pregnant, old sibling rivalries and family secrets are brought to the fore. During the crisis of her sister’s pregnancy, there are also various other influences on Hanna’s state of mind; among others, her part-time job as a researcher for an old lady who is writing about the domestic history of the Afrikaner woman, an impudent graffiti artist who seems to be watching Hanna, and a client at the restaurant where she works who leaves her mysterious notes.

Uma das três obras que influenciaram profundamente gerações de escritores e leitores de quadrinhos no ano de 1986, junto a O Cavaleiro das Trevas, de Frank Miller e Maus, de Art Spiegelman, Watchmen, de Alan Moore e Dave Gibbons, é o mais próximo que se pode chegar de um cânone dos quadrinhos. A obra venceu o Prêmio Hugo de Ficção Científica de 1988, na categoria Outras Formas, e é considerada um dos melhores romances de todos os tempos pela revista Time. Um dos primeiros quadrinhos a sair da esfera das publicações especializadas e receber atenção de outras mídias, Watchmen é menção obrigatória para se entender a história do meio. Ainda assim, só começou a ser estudado com profundidade recentemente. A maior parte dos trabalhos sobre o quadrinho é centrada em suas propriedades históricas, a psicologia das personagens ou de que maneira estes se relacionam com a Filosofia – diferentes aspectos de uma obra meritória, que ao longo de muitos anos atingiu um grande público. O que esses estudos têm em comum é que, ao focar sua atenção nos detalhes, esquecem da narrativa – a estória que a obra conta. Esta dissertação enfoca o quadrinho como um todo; sua história e a maneira como é construída, através da teoria narrativa, considerada apropriada para este fim. A teoria narrativa é o foco da primeira parte do trabalho, junto à introdução por razões de espaço. Os trabalhos mais significativos na área são revisados e comentados. A linguagem dos quadrinhos e suas especificidades são o tema da segunda parte, também apresentando uma leitura das principais obras sobre o assunto. A terceira parte é dedicada às poucas tentativas realizadas com o intuito de conciliar ambas as linhas teóricas. A análise de Watchmen acontece na quarta seção. Além de listar os diferentes componentes narrativos, como eventos, cenário, tempo (dividido em ordem, duração e frequência), narrativa e focalização, também há uma extensa análise do estilo e das cores do traço, apresentada como um passo necessário na compreensão do tom e visão do narrador, dividido aqui entre meganarrador, monstrador e recitador. Na última parte, dedicada às considerações finais sobre o trabalho e que fins atingiu, se apresenta também uma interpretação do quadrinho, baseada em uma leitura pessoal. / One of three books that deeply influenced generations of comics writers and readers in 1986, together with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, is as close to a canonic work as one could get, regarding comics. It won the 1988 Hugo Award, for science fiction books, in the Other Forms category, and was mentioned as one of the hundred best novels by Time magazine. One of the first comics to break out of the sphere of specialized reviews and receive acknowledgement from other media, it is an obligatory mention whenever one attempts to understand the History of the medium. And yet, it has not been thoroughly studied until recently. Most works dealing with the comic focus on its historical properties, the psychology of its characters or how they relate to Philosophy – different aspects of a merited novel which has achieved a large public throughout the years. But what these studies have in common is that, focusing on the detail, they overlook the narrative – the story presented in the work. This work focuses on the comic as a whole, its story and the way it is construed, through narrative theory – a theory based on the understanding of narratives and their constitutive parts, and, as such, clearly appropriate for the task. Narrative theory is the focus of the first part of the work, put together with the introduction for economy reasons. The most prominent works on the subject are reviewed and commented. The language of comics and its specificities are the theme of the second part of the work, also with reviews of its most significant works. The third part is dedicated to a few attempts of conciliation between both theoretical frameworks already developed. The analysis of Watchmen takes place in the fourth chapter. Besides listing the comic’s different narrative components, such as events, setting, time (divided in order, duration and frequency), narrative and focalization; there is also an extensive analysis of style and colors, presented as a necessary step in understanding the tone and views of the narrator, here divided into meganarrator, monstrator and reciter. In the final part, dedicated to considerations about the research and what it may have achieved, an interpretation of the novel is also presented, based on a personal reading.

The intention of this thesis is to create a collection of illustrations to fantasy stories Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions by Neil Gaiman. File also includes book cover and flyleaf. The theoretical part focuses on the current trends in book design. First chapter explains concept, importance and historical context of illustration; the next chapter describes present illustration´s technologies. Next part focuses on Neil Gaiman, the author of the book, and his leading illustrator Dave McKean. Last chapter of the theoretical part compares covers and illustrations of foreign copies of book Smoke and Mirrors. The practical part includes detailed notes about working procedure and technologies used. Finally an interpretation to the individual illustrations is given.

Uma das três obras que influenciaram profundamente gerações de escritores e leitores de quadrinhos no ano de 1986, junto a O Cavaleiro das Trevas, de Frank Miller e Maus, de Art Spiegelman, Watchmen, de Alan Moore e Dave Gibbons, é o mais próximo que se pode chegar de um cânone dos quadrinhos. A obra venceu o Prêmio Hugo de Ficção Científica de 1988, na categoria Outras Formas, e é considerada um dos melhores romances de todos os tempos pela revista Time. Um dos primeiros quadrinhos a sair da esfera das publicações especializadas e receber atenção de outras mídias, Watchmen é menção obrigatória para se entender a história do meio. Ainda assim, só começou a ser estudado com profundidade recentemente. A maior parte dos trabalhos sobre o quadrinho é centrada em suas propriedades históricas, a psicologia das personagens ou de que maneira estes se relacionam com a Filosofia – diferentes aspectos de uma obra meritória, que ao longo de muitos anos atingiu um grande público. O que esses estudos têm em comum é que, ao focar sua atenção nos detalhes, esquecem da narrativa – a estória que a obra conta. Esta dissertação enfoca o quadrinho como um todo; sua história e a maneira como é construída, através da teoria narrativa, considerada apropriada para este fim. A teoria narrativa é o foco da primeira parte do trabalho, junto à introdução por razões de espaço. Os trabalhos mais significativos na área são revisados e comentados. A linguagem dos quadrinhos e suas especificidades são o tema da segunda parte, também apresentando uma leitura das principais obras sobre o assunto. A terceira parte é dedicada às poucas tentativas realizadas com o intuito de conciliar ambas as linhas teóricas. A análise de Watchmen acontece na quarta seção. Além de listar os diferentes componentes narrativos, como eventos, cenário, tempo (dividido em ordem, duração e frequência), narrativa e focalização, também há uma extensa análise do estilo e das cores do traço, apresentada como um passo necessário na compreensão do tom e visão do narrador, dividido aqui entre meganarrador, monstrador e recitador. Na última parte, dedicada às considerações finais sobre o trabalho e que fins atingiu, se apresenta também uma interpretação do quadrinho, baseada em uma leitura pessoal. / One of three books that deeply influenced generations of comics writers and readers in 1986, together with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, is as close to a canonic work as one could get, regarding comics. It won the 1988 Hugo Award, for science fiction books, in the Other Forms category, and was mentioned as one of the hundred best novels by Time magazine. One of the first comics to break out of the sphere of specialized reviews and receive acknowledgement from other media, it is an obligatory mention whenever one attempts to understand the History of the medium. And yet, it has not been thoroughly studied until recently. Most works dealing with the comic focus on its historical properties, the psychology of its characters or how they relate to Philosophy – different aspects of a merited novel which has achieved a large public throughout the years. But what these studies have in common is that, focusing on the detail, they overlook the narrative – the story presented in the work. This work focuses on the comic as a whole, its story and the way it is construed, through narrative theory – a theory based on the understanding of narratives and their constitutive parts, and, as such, clearly appropriate for the task. Narrative theory is the focus of the first part of the work, put together with the introduction for economy reasons. The most prominent works on the subject are reviewed and commented. The language of comics and its specificities are the theme of the second part of the work, also with reviews of its most significant works. The third part is dedicated to a few attempts of conciliation between both theoretical frameworks already developed. The analysis of Watchmen takes place in the fourth chapter. Besides listing the comic’s different narrative components, such as events, setting, time (divided in order, duration and frequency), narrative and focalization; there is also an extensive analysis of style and colors, presented as a necessary step in understanding the tone and views of the narrator, here divided into meganarrator, monstrator and reciter. In the final part, dedicated to considerations about the research and what it may have achieved, an interpretation of the novel is also presented, based on a personal reading.