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ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Mother, Mother (a novel)

Lynch, Julianne
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1282150586

Abstract Details

2010, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: English and Comparative Literature.
Continuing a tradition of literary retellings, the creative portion of my dissertation, a novel currently titled Mother, Mother, is a loose reimagining of the Grimm fairytale "Snow White." Set in modern day, the novel does not simply revisit each element of the original tale, but instead explores the complexities of mother-daughter dynamics, as well as the cultural definitions and demands on female beauty and the ways women are (de)formed by such forces. Beginning with Blair's miraculous birth in a snowstorm, the novel follows her childhood and early adult years as she attempts to come to terms with the death of her mother and her thorny relationship with her stepmother, Vivian. Rather than creating a distinct polarization of good and evil, this version attempts to present its characters as fully-developed women who struggle with their roles, both as (step)mother/daughter, as well as women in a contemporary society obsessed with youth and beauty. The novel is particularly concerned with mirrors and how they shape not only our present but also our past and future selves. The first-person, retrospective narrative also creates a certain amount of ambiguity surrounding the truth of the magical experiences of Blair's early childhood and asks the reader to consider the artificial aspect of all memory.
Michael Griffith, MFA (Committee Chair)
Leah Stewart, MFA (Committee Member)
James Schiff, PhD (Committee Member)
344 p.
English literature
mother; retelling

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lynch, J. (2010). Mother, Mother (a novel) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1282150586

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lynch, Julianne. Mother, Mother (a novel). 2010. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1282150586.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lynch, Julianne. "Mother, Mother (a novel)." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1282150586

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1282150586
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.