I was working as a bookstore manager in Tucson, Arizona in 1993. It was there I first noticed the habits of bookstore patrons. Most enjoyed browsing the shelves, and they did this by choosing a book, tracing their fingers across the cover, and thumbing through pages stopping only at pictures. Very few "customers" read. Now, 2004, as a patron myself, I continue to notice these habits. Cover designs are more elaborate, more colorful, and bookstores—now combined with coffee shops—are more popular than a decade ago. This collection of stories covers a broad range of human emotion, centering on the premise that although books might seem pretty the stories therein are not, for conflict is the impetus for fiction. The interpersonal relationships studied by this thesis are varied. Leeward, The Cudgels, and Stepping Up examine familial dynamics, with the latter two concentrating on overbearing and absentee parenting, respectively. The Line and Eat to Win concern sexual relationships and philosophies. Whereas Eat to Win examines the logic of the psychopath, Truly Yours follows the thought processes of the victim. Eat to Win also scrutinizes unsavory business ethics, but this second non-pretty aspect is not enough to give the story credit for most distressing within the collection. This position is held for the last story, Leeward, which, in keeping within the theme of irony, is the most optimistic as well. At the end of this story there is hope for the protagonist. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2004. / April 5, 2004. / Eat to Win / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert Olen Butler, Professor Directing Thesis; Elizabeth Stuckey-French, Committee Member; John Fenstermaker, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_181851 |
| Contributors | Cohen, Andrew (authoraut), Butler, Robert Olen (professor directing thesis), Stuckey-French, Elizabeth (committee member), Fenstermaker, John (committee member), Department of English (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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