Expressing Loneliness: The Importance Of Form In Lorrie Moore's Early Experimental Fiction
Date of Graduation
Spring 2001
Degree
Master of Arts in English
Department
English
Committee Chair
James Jones
Abstract
Lorrie Moore's first two books Anagrams and Self-Help, employ experimental forms to convey the feelings of loneliness and isolation that define her characters. In both of these books, form becomes an integral part of meaning. New Aestheticism calls for criticism to return to an appreciation of aesthetic and formal qualities of literature, and this attention to form is necessary when studying Lorrie Moore's early works. Drawing on the avant-garde movements of Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, her fiction uses experimental elements to expose the internal workings of her characters, in rich prose. Applying formalist aesthetics to Anagram and Self-Help reveals how structural innovation in her works, including the use of first-, second-, and third person narration and mimicking the structure of a self-help book, servers to express themes of loneliness by mirroring the desperate isolation of her characters.
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
Copyright
© Trisa Moss
Recommended Citation
Moss, Trisa, "Expressing Loneliness: The Importance Of Form In Lorrie Moore's Early Experimental Fiction" (2001). MSU Graduate Theses. 1066.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1066
Dissertation/Thesis
