Date

5-23-2025

Department

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Chair

Melissa Wade

Keywords

Characters, character development, influence, pressure, societal pressure, environmental influence, external factors, self-worth, self esteem

Disciplines

Creative Writing

Abstract

This thesis is made up of multiple essays aimed at examining the relationship between identity, craft, and narrative development. It emphasizes how societal expectations affect self-worth, personal happiness, and identity development. It combines literary, sociological, and Christian viewpoints to highlight the significance of portraying complex and diverse individuals to reflect on the relational nature of identity. This thesis also provides a thorough analysis of theoretical frameworks and practical methodologies for creating compelling characters. By examining psychological models, sociocultural influences, conflict, voice, and genre-specific techniques, it demonstrates how complex character creation enhances narrative. The culmination of this thesis, a novel called Paint, revolves around the quest for life’s meaning and the intrinsic worth of individuals. These ideas are explored through the lives and experiences of four inhabitants of a provincial town. Their lives go awry after they meet a strange woman who suddenly vanishes. Using multiple points of view and anatomically organized narration, the reader is exposed to the detailed internal struggles of every character as they process of their identity crises and self-observations in the aftermath. The novel concludes with an open ending. They do not find the mysterious stranger they have spent the entire novel in pursuit of, and not all of their questions are answered. Instead, they conclude that they cannot determine their value based on the interpretations of a woman whose name they never learned. The group goes their separate ways and begin independent journeys to discover their identities.

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