Date of Graduation
Spring 2017
Degree
Master of Arts in English
Department
English
Committee Chair
Mike Czyzniejewski
Abstract
In this collection of stories, the absurd deterritorializes characters, plots, and ideologies throughout a combination of full-length narratives and flash fiction. In the process of reterritorialization, new meaning is added to archetypical narratives (The Bible's creation myth) and to familiar characters (the impoverished man, the cruel industrialist). Through these narratives, humanity is explored through unconventional means as characters find themselves at odds with supernatural forces, whether it be reincarnation, interaction with deities, or being haunted by the grotesque rat king. While this is a far cry from realism, the absurdism allows the reader unusual ways of seeing the same world.
Keywords
flash fiction, deterritorialization, reterritorialization, absurdism, supernatural
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
Copyright
© Kevin Grzybowski
Recommended Citation
Grzybowski, Kevin, "Ship of Fools" (2017). MSU Graduate Theses. 3174.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3174
