Thesisish

[icepixie]

I'm twenty pages from being done with my reread of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I think I'm going to be writing my master's thesis on that (since grad school is pretty much a given at this point). I'm really interested in combining my dual loves of literature and history by studying the ways authors use history in their fiction--for what purposes they manipulate it, if they do, and what they may be trying to say about their own period by setting something in or referring to historical periods. I also want to work on sci-fi and fantasy (no, seriously, in my current state of late-night megalomania I'm envisioning writing many books of criticism, or at least essays, on Gaiman, Martin, Bradbury, Clarke...), and JS&MN is a perfect blend of the two.

I may babble about the book, and other works of historical fiction, in the months to come. Be prepared.

(Okay, so maybe I was meant to be an academic. I'm excited at the prospect of researching and writing a paper. Perhaps last year's "Papers, augh!" was the burnout talking?)

Comments

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Yay for theseseseses!

[icepixie]

You know you want to join me...

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

I do, I do! Unfortunately, my bank account has other ideas....

[icepixie]

Doctoral programs, at least the ones I've looked at, all seem to provide excellent funding. Complete tuition reimbursement, stipends, teaching assistantships, fellowships...and this is for pretty much everyone working full-time toward the degree.

MA programs...not so much with the funding, alas. If they had it on the same scale, I'd be all over them. Now, I'm debating between an MA and the "well, I'll try to get into a doctoral program, and if I hate it, I can always drop out after I get the MA..." route.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Ah, but the odds of me actually getting *in* to a doctoral program.... so teeny....

[icepixie]

Your odds are likely better than mine, Miss Distinction on Comps.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Miss Goat In Comps, you mean? Yes, research-y places will take me seriously, I'm sure...

[icepixie]

You could always get an MFA, and be even more unemployable!

(Althoguh seriously, is there something you're thinking about studying? I seem to remember you contemplating further Old Englishness during senior year...)

[nickless.livejournal.com]

studying the ways authors use history in their fiction

Could you work sci-fi/fantasy into that, as well? As in, what are they trying to say/what can we learn about the author's own period by setting something in the future/alternative world, especially in the case of books written in the past (ie, Jules Verne)? Or is that not the angle you're interested in on the sci-fi/fantasy side of things?

And most importantly, how dizzy did that paragraph just make you? 'cause I'm not even sure I understood it... ;)

[icepixie]

Could you work sci-fi/fantasy into that, as well? As in, what are they trying to say/what can we learn about the author's own period by setting something in the future/alternative world, especially in the case of books written in the past (ie, Jules Verne)?

Actually, yes. That would be an awesome contrast to works set in historical periods. I could do a bunch of compare/contrast-type papers with that premise!

Or is that not the angle you're interested in on the sci-fi/fantasy side of things?

It's definitely one of the angles I'm interested in (to be honest, it's probably the only angle that would make study of SF acceptable to the academic community--what we can learn about the author's world, what the author was trying to say about his/her world). But I'm interested in doing the same kind of work people do on other twentieth-century lit, just on sci-fi and fantasy novels, whcih have been woefully neglected. (Okay. Some of them suck. A great majority of them suck. But so does most modern lit, I think...)

And most importantly, how dizzy did that paragraph just make you? 'cause I'm not even sure I understood it... ;)

Heh. I want to write a big paper on Stoppard's Arcadia. Try reading that without becoming dizzy.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a fascinating topic, nd I'd be interested in hearing more about your thesis-to-be.

[icepixie]

Awesome. I will totally be babbling, believe me.

[asinpterodactyl.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read any alternate history? There's a lot of it shelved at Barnes & Noble. Some authors to try: Harry Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, Eric Flint.

[icepixie]

Oh, I love alternate histories. Turtledove's Guns of the South is awesome. But I'd love to make that one of my topics of criticism as well.

[elflore.livejournal.com]

Definitely sounds like the right path for you. *g* I can't wait to read what you'd write about Gaiman, Clarke, etc.!

Martin, though...I'm curious which Martin you're thinking of?

[icepixie]

:)

I meant George R.R. Martin. (Is there another one I'll think of as soon as I hit "post comment"?)

[elflore.livejournal.com]

I thought he might be the one. I've heard some cool things, but not read anything of his so far. So...what can you tell me? *g*

[icepixie]

Oh, he's awesome. Big, sweeping historical-style fantasy books that are big on political intrigue and light on the fantasy. And when I say big and sweeping, I mean 900 pages per book and a cast of thousands. The Song of Ice and Fire series is based somewhat on the War of the Roses, although it takes place in a made-up country. Lots of political maneuvering, lots of fighting, a big sense of a world with a long history. And lots of death. Don't get too attached to any of the characters. ;)

[softstepshoes.livejournal.com]

Perfect.

[icepixie]

So I should send this in with my applications, eh? ;)