Date
11-13-2024
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
Chair
Jennifer Bell
Keywords
Mystery, Science Fiction, Horror, Case Mountain
Disciplines
Creative Writing
Recommended Citation
Hewitt, Jerry J., "The Case Mountain Cases: Escapism through Alternate Worlds, Monsters, and Environment in Fiction" (2024). Masters Theses. 1233.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1233
Abstract
This thesis began with the idea of horror and science fiction novel’s ability to provide readers with a sense of escape in exploring alternative worlds through descriptions of scary monsters and brooding environments. The location of my manuscript takes place in real-life hiking area in Connecticut called Case Mountain, which I have been hiking in since I was a child. Throughout my life, I have always had a fascination with the folklore and ghost stories surrounding Connecticut, and much of my writing has always had a focus on sharing these tales and providing readers with the ability to escape their everyday lives by building on these stories and creating alternate worlds of dark landscapes and mysterious creatures. The critical theory paper examines the ability for horror and science fiction novels to create escapism for readers through the building of these alternate worlds and encounters with dense landscapes and fictitious monsters. My manuscript titled, The Case Mountain Cases, delves into humanity’s need to escape in these alternate worlds while also illustrating how the power of love and human connection can overcome the dangers of the natural environment.
