Cultivating One Woman's Personal Narratives: Harvests From the Heart
Date of Graduation
Fall 2002
Degree
Master of Arts in Writing
Department
English
Committee Chair
Nancy Walker
Abstract
Personal writing allows writers to clarify their values, gain a stronger sense of self-esteem, and preserve their identity. Within her thesis, Coberley uses a cultivation analogy to explore the similarities/requirements in the growth processes of personal writing and gardening: adaptability, good planning, importance of roots and plot choice, collaboration, commitment to improvement, seeds, fertilizer, patience for growth, pruning, messy processes, debugging, hazards of taking risks, discoveries, harvests, and preservation. Cultivation of these factors within personal writing helps writers nurture a stronger sense of identity. This thesis contains an anthology of the author's personal narratives that reveal numerous facets of her identity. Music and gardening are interwoven into her writing. These personal narratives generally focus on her appreciation for her family heritage.
Subject Categories
Creative Writing
Copyright
© Sherry Coberley
Recommended Citation
Coberley, Sherry, "Cultivating One Woman's Personal Narratives: Harvests From the Heart" (2002). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 966.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/966
Dissertation/Thesis
