Skeleton Intro

Really, really rough attempt at thinking about my into….to be continued….

Intro (first draft- ROUGH!!)

Description (from proposal..may need to change)

My MA thesis is a highly personal and creative endeavor which explores the ways in which memory and mode impact the construction of meaning, the development of truth, and the discovery of one’s self. My project is centered around a series of fictional conversations with my father that begin on or around his death on September 11, 2001.  These interactions evolve via various modes of communication (handwritten letters, emails, text messages, etc.) over a 16-year time-span. The development of my father’s character, the reimagining of events, and the layering of 9/11 artifacts provide insight into the ways the mind reconstructs the past and, perhaps, how it influences one’s present and future self.

Rationale (quick version more to say here)

On September 11, 2001, the lines between truth and fiction became blurred. I was forced, like many, to question my entire belief system. My personal connection to 9/11, one of the most impactful events of our nation’s history, has given me a unique vantage point from which to share my story with generations to come.


How will the world remember the events of 9/11 long after all eyewitnesses have passed? How will victim’s family members share their stories with future generations? How might reimagining these events aid in the creation of meaning and understanding? What insights into my own personal development might be gleaned from this process?

Relevance (not sure if this fits under relevance or “question”…)

There has been much written about the emerging pool of post-9/11 literature. Scholars have dissected representations ranging from comics and poetry to novels and plays. Common threads in these analyses include the push-pull tension between personal and historical portrayals, the struggle in creating meaning and understanding around an event with such magnitude, and the emergence of hybrid genres in an attempt to effectively capture the jarring reality of the attacks. Sixteen years after the attacks, this continues to be a growing area of inquiry. An epistolary memoir layered with fictional exchanges and historical artifacts add to this discussion by examining how the events of 9/11 are remembered by those personally impacted.



One thought on “Skeleton Intro

  1. These are some good bones; I can see each of these bits maybe each expanded a few paragraphs, and using some citations where appropriate.

    I might suggest a bit more of a building, narrative opening than “My thesis is.” Start with an intro to your morning on that day and how it turned to be the most pivotal and unexpected day ever. It ever changed you. Build and bring the intensity of that day.

    Also, I’d like to see more written about the reason for creating the fictional narrative. What do you hope it does? Why have to extend of the different communication devices? Bring in the questions about extrapolating your father’s persona over this long time.


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