What is poetry? What makes a poem "good"? Why have we as human beings always "done" poetry? Are w... more What is poetry? What makes a poem "good"? Why have we as human beings always "done" poetry? Are we evolutionarily hardwired to appreciate poetry?
This is an introductory lecture to my creative writing course on poetry for undergraduate students.
Sources are listed in the lower righthand corner of each slide.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic subverts the traditional function of scary stories as preca... more Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic subverts the traditional function of scary stories as precautionary tales. In many ways, the novel is a grownup reinterpretation of fairytales that center upon a damsel in distress – except rather than punishing the female protagonist for not being complacent, it rewards her for taking action on her own behalf. Additionally, the novel addresses themes related to colonization, and it importantly focuses on the heroine’s self-actualization as a young woman with both Spanish and indigenous roots. Indeed, through the symbols that manifest these themes into the corporeal world of the novel, Mexican Gothic reads as an allegorical representation of Anzaldúa’s conception of the New Mestiza.
In this paper, I propose to show that supporters of the DDE do not explain how different actions ... more In this paper, I propose to show that supporters of the DDE do not explain how different actions with identical consequences are more or less significant in terms of morality. To defend this argument, I will explicate Shelly Kagan’s criticism of the DDE in the context of self-defense and self-sacrifice. Additionally, I will present Kagan’s criticism of the DDE in juxtaposition with Thomas Nagel’s defense of the DDE. I hope to present Kagan and Nagel’s arguments in conversation with each other in a manner that indicates the failure of the DDE to rule out consequentialism, as I strongly believe the material consequences of a political policy should be the foremost consideration for the politicians making those public policies.
I am interested in writing that grapples with the conceptual possibilities of storytelling in the... more I am interested in writing that grapples with the conceptual possibilities of storytelling in the realm of speculative and science fiction. It is my goal in this book review to revisit Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to better understand how our culture – specifically, American culture in the twenty-first century – has responded to long periods of suffering and uncertainty in the past months. It is also my hope that this book review will provide a reflection on how we should treat the present moment as a threshold for a future in which we come together as human beings rather than self-destructively exacerbate the preexisting schisms in our society.
Drawing from Debbie V.S. Kasper’s theory of privacy as a social good, it is my intention to inves... more Drawing from Debbie V.S. Kasper’s theory of privacy as a social good, it is my intention to investigate the ramifications of plagiarism detection software from the perspective of a composition instructor. How might the use of a software that essentially functions as spyware negatively impact a student’s learning experience?
Jeanine Cummins and Natalia Sylvester have a different sense of place in regard to the setting of... more Jeanine Cummins and Natalia Sylvester have a different sense of place in regard to the setting of their respective novels. Indeed, the danger associated with the border is crucial to the plot in both novels. However, Cummins treats the border as the definitive entryway to safety and freedom, whereas Sylvester treats the border as a fluid space.
“Two Are One”: The Androgynous Language of The Left Hand of Darkness, 2019
Ursula K. Le Guin reimagines the patterns of gender norms that manifest in the standard language ... more Ursula K. Le Guin reimagines the patterns of gender norms that manifest in the standard language of our contemporary society in The Left Hand of Darkness to ground the central theme of unity over dualism in the novel. The alien cultures producing and reproduced by the “manwomen” of Gethen combine gendered patterns of speech to reflect the universal social values of a sexually homogenous population, all of which cumulate into the concept of shifgrethor—“prestige, face, place, the pride-relationship, the untranslatable and all-important principle of social authority in […] all civilizations of Gethen."
Overcoming Pain with Purpose: The Psychoanalysis of Storytelling in "Fable" , 2019
"Fable" is a short story by Charales Yu that first appeared in The New Yorker on May 30, 2016. In... more "Fable" is a short story by Charales Yu that first appeared in The New Yorker on May 30, 2016. In the short story, a man describes his life to a therapist as a fairytale. The man tells several versions of his story, remembering important moments such as marrying his wife and later discovering that their son has an intellectual disability that resembles autism. As the stories culminate, the man observes how the narrative started with a one-for-one correspondence to real life-in which each fairytale element stood for something real-but later takes on a life of its own. Storytelling itself becomes a transformative practice that enables the man to achieve a new self-understanding.
A People Spoken Into Being: The Metalinguistics of Dothraki and High Valyrian, 2019
Critics have referred to David Peterson’s Dothraki and High Valyrian in the Game of Thrones telev... more Critics have referred to David Peterson’s Dothraki and High Valyrian in the Game of Thrones television show as “the most convincing fictional tongues since Elvish” by the virtue of their vivid linguistic detail. These two languages play an important role in the Game of Thrones series and have permeated mainstream contemporary culture as a result of the show’s massive following. Indeed, these fictional languages permit the audience entry into the imaginary universe of the television series. There are multiple layers of access to the languages inside and outside of the series, and these layers of accessibility allow the audience to experience the languages as emblems of and encounters with the fictional peoples they serve to characterize.
“The Cry of the Puma”: The Intersection of Feminism and Animal Advocacy in The Island of Doctor Moreau, 2018
The antivivisection movement and its relationship to feminism provides a cultural and historical ... more The antivivisection movement and its relationship to feminism provides a cultural and historical backdrop for H. G. Wells’ science fiction novella, The Island of Doctor Moreau, published in 1896. Wells was a lifelong supporter of the feminist movement, and although he was a member of the Research Defense Society, he remained somewhat sympathetic to the antivivisectionist cause. While Wells never openly objected to vivisection himself, his novella undoubtedly provided the “most terrifying accent” to “the icon of woman and vivisected animal." Critiquing science’s Machiavellian role in the highly industrialized world of modern capitalism, Wells dissects the systematic domination of society’s most vulnerable populations, an obvious concern for the feminists that opposed vivisection, and the “myth of objectivity, distance, disembodiment, and separation from the world of nature” in male-dominated scientific discourse.
“A Roaring, Ranting, Sleek Man-Thief”: The Social Institution of “Angry White Men” in Frederick Douglass’ Narrative , 2018
Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of his emancipation from slavery suggests the distress that agitate... more Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of his emancipation from slavery suggests the distress that agitates white men accustomed to power whenever their social authority is questioned or contested. In each episode in the narrative, there is an evident threat to the power dynamic emboldening white slaveholders and oppressing African-American slaves. These threats, as a consequence, compel the slaveholders to suppress the slaves through violent and dehumanizing means, thus protecting the historical dominance of white men in society. Antagonistic characters like Captain Anthony and Mr. Covey represent the extreme hatred of a cultural institution known as “Angry White Men,” a group that sociologist Michael Kimmel describes by referring to the theory of relative deprivation. The resentment fueling the actions of these men is rooted in their perception of themselves as the true victims of relative deprivation.
The Ample East and West: Contextualizing Eastern Philosophy in "The Over-Soul", 2017
A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate cour... more A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate course on American Romanticism.
Plain Living, High Thinking: Transcendental Ways of Seeing, 2017
A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate cour... more A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate course on American Romanticism.
“Slay, Queen, Slay”: Gender and Authority in Queen Elizabeth I’s Reign, 2017
Gender was a constant obstacle for Queen Elizabeth I throughout her reign, and Elizabeth’s succes... more Gender was a constant obstacle for Queen Elizabeth I throughout her reign, and Elizabeth’s success as the Queen depended on her ability to navigate the issue of gender tactfully. Through her written and spoken language, she conveyed representations of herself as being both an exceptional woman and figurative man.
Straight Down the Barrel: Dramatizing Masculinity in Gun Advertisements, 2016
This paper analyzes a Bushmaster gun advertisement through the lens of Kenneth Burke's dramatism ... more This paper analyzes a Bushmaster gun advertisement through the lens of Kenneth Burke's dramatism to show how gun manufacturers manipulate ideas about masculinity to sell weapons.
Mangel, Abby, et al. “Three Strings.” San Antonio Review, vol. 6, no. 1, San Antonio Review, Aug.... more Mangel, Abby, et al. “Three Strings.” San Antonio Review, vol. 6, no. 1, San Antonio Review, Aug. 2020, doi:10.21428/9b43cd98.25fae916.
What is poetry? What makes a poem "good"? Why have we as human beings always "done" poetry? Are w... more What is poetry? What makes a poem "good"? Why have we as human beings always "done" poetry? Are we evolutionarily hardwired to appreciate poetry?
This is an introductory lecture to my creative writing course on poetry for undergraduate students.
Sources are listed in the lower righthand corner of each slide.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic subverts the traditional function of scary stories as preca... more Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic subverts the traditional function of scary stories as precautionary tales. In many ways, the novel is a grownup reinterpretation of fairytales that center upon a damsel in distress – except rather than punishing the female protagonist for not being complacent, it rewards her for taking action on her own behalf. Additionally, the novel addresses themes related to colonization, and it importantly focuses on the heroine’s self-actualization as a young woman with both Spanish and indigenous roots. Indeed, through the symbols that manifest these themes into the corporeal world of the novel, Mexican Gothic reads as an allegorical representation of Anzaldúa’s conception of the New Mestiza.
In this paper, I propose to show that supporters of the DDE do not explain how different actions ... more In this paper, I propose to show that supporters of the DDE do not explain how different actions with identical consequences are more or less significant in terms of morality. To defend this argument, I will explicate Shelly Kagan’s criticism of the DDE in the context of self-defense and self-sacrifice. Additionally, I will present Kagan’s criticism of the DDE in juxtaposition with Thomas Nagel’s defense of the DDE. I hope to present Kagan and Nagel’s arguments in conversation with each other in a manner that indicates the failure of the DDE to rule out consequentialism, as I strongly believe the material consequences of a political policy should be the foremost consideration for the politicians making those public policies.
I am interested in writing that grapples with the conceptual possibilities of storytelling in the... more I am interested in writing that grapples with the conceptual possibilities of storytelling in the realm of speculative and science fiction. It is my goal in this book review to revisit Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to better understand how our culture – specifically, American culture in the twenty-first century – has responded to long periods of suffering and uncertainty in the past months. It is also my hope that this book review will provide a reflection on how we should treat the present moment as a threshold for a future in which we come together as human beings rather than self-destructively exacerbate the preexisting schisms in our society.
Drawing from Debbie V.S. Kasper’s theory of privacy as a social good, it is my intention to inves... more Drawing from Debbie V.S. Kasper’s theory of privacy as a social good, it is my intention to investigate the ramifications of plagiarism detection software from the perspective of a composition instructor. How might the use of a software that essentially functions as spyware negatively impact a student’s learning experience?
Jeanine Cummins and Natalia Sylvester have a different sense of place in regard to the setting of... more Jeanine Cummins and Natalia Sylvester have a different sense of place in regard to the setting of their respective novels. Indeed, the danger associated with the border is crucial to the plot in both novels. However, Cummins treats the border as the definitive entryway to safety and freedom, whereas Sylvester treats the border as a fluid space.
“Two Are One”: The Androgynous Language of The Left Hand of Darkness, 2019
Ursula K. Le Guin reimagines the patterns of gender norms that manifest in the standard language ... more Ursula K. Le Guin reimagines the patterns of gender norms that manifest in the standard language of our contemporary society in The Left Hand of Darkness to ground the central theme of unity over dualism in the novel. The alien cultures producing and reproduced by the “manwomen” of Gethen combine gendered patterns of speech to reflect the universal social values of a sexually homogenous population, all of which cumulate into the concept of shifgrethor—“prestige, face, place, the pride-relationship, the untranslatable and all-important principle of social authority in […] all civilizations of Gethen."
Overcoming Pain with Purpose: The Psychoanalysis of Storytelling in "Fable" , 2019
"Fable" is a short story by Charales Yu that first appeared in The New Yorker on May 30, 2016. In... more "Fable" is a short story by Charales Yu that first appeared in The New Yorker on May 30, 2016. In the short story, a man describes his life to a therapist as a fairytale. The man tells several versions of his story, remembering important moments such as marrying his wife and later discovering that their son has an intellectual disability that resembles autism. As the stories culminate, the man observes how the narrative started with a one-for-one correspondence to real life-in which each fairytale element stood for something real-but later takes on a life of its own. Storytelling itself becomes a transformative practice that enables the man to achieve a new self-understanding.
A People Spoken Into Being: The Metalinguistics of Dothraki and High Valyrian, 2019
Critics have referred to David Peterson’s Dothraki and High Valyrian in the Game of Thrones telev... more Critics have referred to David Peterson’s Dothraki and High Valyrian in the Game of Thrones television show as “the most convincing fictional tongues since Elvish” by the virtue of their vivid linguistic detail. These two languages play an important role in the Game of Thrones series and have permeated mainstream contemporary culture as a result of the show’s massive following. Indeed, these fictional languages permit the audience entry into the imaginary universe of the television series. There are multiple layers of access to the languages inside and outside of the series, and these layers of accessibility allow the audience to experience the languages as emblems of and encounters with the fictional peoples they serve to characterize.
“The Cry of the Puma”: The Intersection of Feminism and Animal Advocacy in The Island of Doctor Moreau, 2018
The antivivisection movement and its relationship to feminism provides a cultural and historical ... more The antivivisection movement and its relationship to feminism provides a cultural and historical backdrop for H. G. Wells’ science fiction novella, The Island of Doctor Moreau, published in 1896. Wells was a lifelong supporter of the feminist movement, and although he was a member of the Research Defense Society, he remained somewhat sympathetic to the antivivisectionist cause. While Wells never openly objected to vivisection himself, his novella undoubtedly provided the “most terrifying accent” to “the icon of woman and vivisected animal." Critiquing science’s Machiavellian role in the highly industrialized world of modern capitalism, Wells dissects the systematic domination of society’s most vulnerable populations, an obvious concern for the feminists that opposed vivisection, and the “myth of objectivity, distance, disembodiment, and separation from the world of nature” in male-dominated scientific discourse.
“A Roaring, Ranting, Sleek Man-Thief”: The Social Institution of “Angry White Men” in Frederick Douglass’ Narrative , 2018
Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of his emancipation from slavery suggests the distress that agitate... more Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of his emancipation from slavery suggests the distress that agitates white men accustomed to power whenever their social authority is questioned or contested. In each episode in the narrative, there is an evident threat to the power dynamic emboldening white slaveholders and oppressing African-American slaves. These threats, as a consequence, compel the slaveholders to suppress the slaves through violent and dehumanizing means, thus protecting the historical dominance of white men in society. Antagonistic characters like Captain Anthony and Mr. Covey represent the extreme hatred of a cultural institution known as “Angry White Men,” a group that sociologist Michael Kimmel describes by referring to the theory of relative deprivation. The resentment fueling the actions of these men is rooted in their perception of themselves as the true victims of relative deprivation.
The Ample East and West: Contextualizing Eastern Philosophy in "The Over-Soul", 2017
A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate cour... more A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate course on American Romanticism.
Plain Living, High Thinking: Transcendental Ways of Seeing, 2017
A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate cour... more A reflection paper originally published on www.yvfsbgp.wordpress.com as a part of a graduate course on American Romanticism.
“Slay, Queen, Slay”: Gender and Authority in Queen Elizabeth I’s Reign, 2017
Gender was a constant obstacle for Queen Elizabeth I throughout her reign, and Elizabeth’s succes... more Gender was a constant obstacle for Queen Elizabeth I throughout her reign, and Elizabeth’s success as the Queen depended on her ability to navigate the issue of gender tactfully. Through her written and spoken language, she conveyed representations of herself as being both an exceptional woman and figurative man.
Straight Down the Barrel: Dramatizing Masculinity in Gun Advertisements, 2016
This paper analyzes a Bushmaster gun advertisement through the lens of Kenneth Burke's dramatism ... more This paper analyzes a Bushmaster gun advertisement through the lens of Kenneth Burke's dramatism to show how gun manufacturers manipulate ideas about masculinity to sell weapons.
Mangel, Abby, et al. “Three Strings.” San Antonio Review, vol. 6, no. 1, San Antonio Review, Aug.... more Mangel, Abby, et al. “Three Strings.” San Antonio Review, vol. 6, no. 1, San Antonio Review, Aug. 2020, doi:10.21428/9b43cd98.25fae916.
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This is an introductory lecture to my creative writing course on poetry for undergraduate students.
Sources are listed in the lower righthand corner of each slide.
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Papers by Abby Leigh
This is an introductory lecture to my creative writing course on poetry for undergraduate students.
Sources are listed in the lower righthand corner of each slide.