Category

Oral - Creative and Artistic

Description

My creative narrative reveals an intricate connection between fiction and history by reimagining the historical bombing of the Monte Cassino Abbey during World War II. On February 15, 1944, the Allied troops justified the bombing on a suspicion that Nazi troops were hiding in the Monastery; instead, the Abbey only housed monks and refugees who were seeking shelter. The bombing resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and fueled German propaganda that claimed the Allies had no respect for sacred religious sites. My novel balances the authenticity of this historical event with the creativity of the narrative, conveying the bombing through the experience of a fictional refugee boy in the Abbey. This main character, Cato, considers the reality of eternity through religious interaction while remaining unaware of the impending disaster. The first draft of the novel utilizes extensive online research in order to reflect the historical realties of the bombing. After a visit to the Italian Monastery, the piece underwent a series of rewrites in order to further maintain historical authenticity. The excerpts that I will be sharing demonstrate an ability to creatively engage with this historical event in a way that preserves its veracity while also creating the space for a fictional story to unfold.

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Undergraduate - 3rd Place Award Winner

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Apr 18th, 10:00 AM

The Canticle of Life: Reimagining the World War II Bombing of Monte Cassino

Oral - Creative and Artistic

My creative narrative reveals an intricate connection between fiction and history by reimagining the historical bombing of the Monte Cassino Abbey during World War II. On February 15, 1944, the Allied troops justified the bombing on a suspicion that Nazi troops were hiding in the Monastery; instead, the Abbey only housed monks and refugees who were seeking shelter. The bombing resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and fueled German propaganda that claimed the Allies had no respect for sacred religious sites. My novel balances the authenticity of this historical event with the creativity of the narrative, conveying the bombing through the experience of a fictional refugee boy in the Abbey. This main character, Cato, considers the reality of eternity through religious interaction while remaining unaware of the impending disaster. The first draft of the novel utilizes extensive online research in order to reflect the historical realties of the bombing. After a visit to the Italian Monastery, the piece underwent a series of rewrites in order to further maintain historical authenticity. The excerpts that I will be sharing demonstrate an ability to creatively engage with this historical event in a way that preserves its veracity while also creating the space for a fictional story to unfold.

 

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