Date of Graduation
Spring 2023
Degree
Master of Arts in English
Department
English
Committee Chair
Michael Czyzniejewski
Abstract
The following thesis is a middle grade novel exploring the events of one summer in the lives of two siblings, Susannah and Sawyer. The siblings are grieving the recent death of their mother and, at the same time, attempting to navigate the emotional withdrawal of their father. During the summer, the siblings get to know their eccentric neighbor, Mrs. Blackbird, who communicates with the spirit of her dead husband through an old armchair which is rumored to have magical powers. The novel deals primarily with the theme of grief and its pervasive nature in people’s lives. The story looks at how community and the practice of storytelling can help people in processing the pain of devastating loss.
Keywords
middle grade, grief, family, storytelling, loss, magical realism, siblings, spirituality
Subject Categories
Creative Writing | English Language and Literature
Copyright
© Taylor Barnhart
Recommended Citation
Barnhart, Taylor, "Mrs. Blackbird and the Visiting Chair" (2023). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 3815.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3815
