BU English

Belmont Hosts Poet Chad Sweeney on February 9

2012-01-30T12:22:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, February 9 (7:30 p.m., Multimedia Hall, Bunch Library), Belmont will host poet, translator, and professor Chad Sweeney for a reading and lecture, followed by Q&A (Culture & Arts convo credit offered). According to Belmont professor Gary McDowell, Sweeney's poetry, "with leanings toward the surreal and fantastical, offers spiritual enlightenment while liquefying the boundaries between imagination and the very world it inhabits; hiswork always surprises, always transforms, and always inspires its audience." A video clip of such work can be found here. Be sure to mark your calendars for this exciting event!

Below is Sweeney's biographical info from http://www.chadsweeney.com/bio.html:

"Chad Sweeney is a poet and translator. He is the author of four books of poetry, Parable of Hide and Seek (Alice James, 2010), Arranging the Blaze (Anhinga, 2009), An Architecture (BlazeVox, 2007), and Wolf Milk: Lost Poems of Juan Sweeney (Forklift, 2012, bilingual English/Spanish). He is the translator (from the Persian, with Mojdeh Marashi) of The Selected Poems of H.E. Sayeh:The Art of Stepping Through Time (White Pine, 2011). He has published five chapbooks of poetry, including A Mirror to Shatter the Hammer (Tarpaulin Sky, 2006) and the bilingual (English/Spanish) Lost Notebooks of Juan Sweeney de las Minas de Cobre (Forklift, 2010), which has been translated into Catalán by poet Anna Aguilar-Amat of Barcelona. Sweeney edited the anthology Days I Moved Through Ordinary Sounds: the Teachers of WritersCorps in Poetry and Prose (CityLights, 2009) and is coeditor of Parthenon West Review, a print journal of contemporary poetry, translation and essays, based in San Francisco. Chad’s poems have appeared in Best American Poetry 2008, The Pushcart Prize Anthology 2011, American Poetry Review, Black Warrior, New American Writing, Colorado Review, Denver Qtly, Verse, Volt, Barrow Street and The Writers Almanac. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and is a PhD candidate at Western Michigan University. He teaches poetry in the MFA program at California State University, San Bernardino, and lives in Redlands, California with his wife, poet Jennifer K. Sweeney, and their son Liam."

The Liberating Voice of Philosophy

2012-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow evening, January 25 at 7 p.m. in the Massey Boardroom, Dr. Philip Edward Phillips will deliver a talk titled "The Liberating Voice of Philosophy: The Function of Poetry in Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy." Dr. Phillips, a Belmont alumnus, is Professor of English and Interim Associate Dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University. His teaching and research areas include medieval and early modern literature, Milton and the epic tradition, Boethius and the vernacular translations of The Consolation of Philosophy, and Poe and early nineteenth-century American literature.

Still Time for Tragedy

2012-01-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

That's right. If you haven't already caught former Tennessee Titan Eddie George as Julius Caesar in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's winter production, there's still time. Today, NPR featured Eddie in an All Things Considered story.

The final weekend of the production starts this Thursday, the 26th, and runs through Sunday, the 29th. Because of popular demand, a performance on Sunday, the 29th, has been added at 7:30 p.m. All shows are at Belmont's Troutt Theater, and student tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Additional information can be found at: http://nashvilleshakes.org/wintershakespeare.htm

English Club Kicks Off Spring Lecture Series

2012-01-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

The English Club proudly announces its annual Spring Lecture Series beginning next Friday. Dr. Douglas Murray will kick off the series on Friday, January 27 at 10 a.m. in Massey 100 with his lecture, “English Comfort/English Discomfort: Conflicting Cultural Spaces in Jane Austen’s Emma” (academic lecture convocation credit available). Please mark your calendars now for Dr. Murray's lecture on the 27th!

The Spring Lecture Series is designed for students (particularly English majors and minors) to see the kinds of work and subjects their faculty are interested in beyond the classroom. Subsequently, there will be presentations by Dr. Andrea Stover, Dr. Gary McDowell, and a panel discussion by Dr. Marcia McDonald, Dr. Cynthia Cox, and Professor Sue Trout.

Study Abroad Opportunities for Belmont Students

2012-01-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

Dr. Maggie Monteverde, Assistant Provost for International Education and Programs Away, would like to remind students that a number of summer, study-abroad opportunites are still open for applicants. If you are interested in study abroad this summer, please mark your calendars for an informational meeting on January 27 at 10:00 a.m. in MBC 103.

In addition, English majors may be interested in several of the upcoming semester-abroad programs. Dr. Monteverde will host a meeting regarding these semester-long programs on February 17 at 10 a.m. in MBC 103 (convo credit available for this meeting). Please make plans to attend!

Nashville Public Library Presents "Nevermore"

2012-01-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

from Nashville Public Library press release...

NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS “NEVERMORE”

Nashville Public Library presents a new series entitled "Night at the Library" which will consist of diverse programming for all ages throughout the year. The premiere event, "Nevermore” will take place Jan. 19 at 7:00 p.m. and will feature a performance by film and television star Jeffrey Combs. A reception will be held prior to the performance at 6:15 p.m. Combs will be performing as the brilliant but tragic poet and storyteller Edgar Allan Poe in honor of the bicentennial of the author’s birth. He will recite Poe’s most famous poem “The Raven” as well as other selections including “The Tell–tale Heart” and “Annabel Lee.” The production is directed by Stuart Gordon and co-written by Dennis Paoli.

WHAT: Night at the Library series featuring "Nevermore." The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Jan. 19 at 7:00 p.m. (reception at 6:15 p.m.)

WHERE: Nashville Public Library

Upcoming Events

2011-03-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

Please note the following and make space on your schedules! Tomorrow, Friday March 25th, the English Department's Jeremy Ecke will be a speaker as part of the department's Spring Lecture Series. The title of his talk is "Runes and the Riddle of Reading," and Dr. Ecke will discuss his recent work on the Frank's Casket, an artifact that combines Anglo-Saxon runes with depictions of Germanic, Christian, and Classical mythology. The event will be at 10:00 a.m. in the Bunch Multi-Media Room, and Culture and Arts Convocation credit will be available for Belmont students. More information about Dr. Ecke can be found on his faculty webpage.

Also, on Monday March 28th at 7 p.m., guest poet Heather Hummel will read from her work and take questions. The event will be in the Vince Gill Room, and convocation credit will be offered to Belmont students. Winner of the 2009 Katherine Susannah Prichard Emerging Writer-in-Residence Award, Heather is a freelance writer living in Nashville and is one of the founding editors of the online literary journal Blood Orange Review. Her work often speaks to intersections of landscape and psyche, and her poetry has been published in Her Mark 2010, Quiddity, Hawk & Handsaw, Merge, and Aquila Review. More information about Heather can be found on her website.

Five Questions with Evan Scruton

2011-02-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

Featured today is freshman English major, Evan Scruton, who hails from Columbus, Ohio. Here's how Evan responded to the "New BU English Major Questionnaire."

Why do you want to be an English major?
To become an English teacher.

What's the last great book you read?
As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner.

What are you most looking forward to about coming to Belmont?
Meeting new people and sharing ideas with other thoughtful, well-educated people.

Who is your favorite literary character? Why?
Lee from East of Eden. He is very wise and calculated in his actions. Also, when he finds discrepancies between the two Bibles, he keeps working until he finds the answer (timshel).

Can you write a haiku? Prove it!
Haikus are simple
And really easy to write
Refrigerator

Celebrating Dr. Sandra Hutchins

2010-09-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

On September 20 in the Massey Boardroom, Dr. Sandra Hutchins read from her fiction to a full room of colleagues and students. Dr. Hutchins recently won the Leo Love Award for Fiction. Dr. Hutchins read three sections from her novel, ALREADY KINDLED and a new short story. She was introduced by Gregg Hubbard, one of her former students and a current adjunct in the English department. A terrific discussion about the craft of writing and the challenges fictions writers often face followed her reading. What a wonderful night of celebrating a beloved colleague and her work!

Tomato Arts Haiku Festival Time Again

2010-07-12T12:07:00.001-07:00

Lovers of haiku and tomatoes unite! BookFool.com is now accepting entries in this year's Hot Tomato Haiku Contest, hosted by the Tomato Art Fest. Five wacky categories. Great prizes. Fame forever!

Don't wait! Deadline is July 31st. Enter at BookFool.com

Five Questions with Logan Allen

2010-05-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

Today's graduating senior interview is with Logan Allen, who set up the Anne Rice skype interview this past January...

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)?

Many people complain about the way Belmont’s general education is set up. We do have a lot of extra classes and requirements that most universities don’t have: Third Year Writing, Theories of Writing, Junior and Senior Seminar, and Senior Capstone. But looking back, those classes were a joy and got me thinking about what I want to accomplish during by time at Belmont and what I want to do after I graduate. Of course in my writing classes I’ve learned to hone my writing skills, but I feel like my experience at Belmont would be incomplete without those general education courses listed above, because they reminded me of the big picture. At Belmont I’ve had a near perfect blend of learning to better myself intellectually and professionally, and I think that’s unique in an English program.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

I want to write novels, travel memoirs, and articles for food and travel magazines. I also want to continue my education. So I’ve decided to take a year off from school, complete the novel I’m working on, and try to get my foot in the door in the magazine industry. I plan on starting small, writing for local and trade magazines to work my way up to bigger publications—this is a long-term goal. I want to be published in any way, shape, or form. The industry is changing dramatically, and that’s scary, but it’s also exciting, because it’s a revolution of sorts. My generation is the generation that will shape the industry for the future.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

African American writing has become one of my favorite genres. The authors James Baldwin, W.E.B Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and Fredrick Douglas have been some of my favorites. I was reluctant to read them at first because I thought that I wouldn’t be able to relate to them. And, I admit, I thought they would make me feel guilty about being a white man. The opposite was true. I marveled at the eloquence of the literature and deeply connected with their struggles. And they reminded me of injustices that still happen today: racism, sexism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Their stories are the stories of outsiders, and everybody feels like an outsider at some point in their lives.

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

April is the cruelest. But I try to remind myself that at least I’m doing something that I love. I if I was spending my time cramming for finance exams and staying up till dawn working on accounting projects, I would not be nearly as happy as I am researching and writing papers.

What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I changed my major to English. Just this week, in my senior seminar and capstone classes, I’ve been thinking about how working to improve my writing has affected so many other areas of my life. If someone had told me that writing is so much more than just a skill when I changed my major to English, I wouldn’t have believed it. Writing has made me a better thinker, a better listener, and a better observer, and my life is so much richer as a result. So I don’t feel like there is something that I would have liked to know when I started my major. I have no regrets. There were plenty of extracurricular ways to be involved on campus, and I was as involved as I wanted to be.

Erin Glass Wins Ruby Treadway Award

2010-05-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

by Shannon Smith

Erin Glass, Senior BU English major, recently won the Ruby P. Treadway Award for her outstanding writing portfolio. Within the portfolio were pieces of poetry, literary theory, and fiction.

About her portfolio, Erin says, “The poetry section and the literary theory essays were both challenging and rewarding. The pieces of fiction seemed more like fictive narratives than fiction. They were extremely humbling--I was actually embarrassed at how nonsensical they were. I wasn't even sure if I would receive full credit for them.”

Erin composed the portfolio for Dr. Alexander’s creative writing class. Dr. Alexander gave many exercises where Erin was able to create many new works and even usea the opportunity to revise and to try different verse forms. She has been writing poetry all of her life, but she has never before attempted to write fiction or short stories. “The exercises gave me a new respect for fiction and short story writers—and a profound admiration for their method and their craft.”

Erin’s inspiration came from many different areas. Dr. Alexander was extremely encouraging to her and gave Erin a lot of confidence in her poetic voice. Her inspiration also stemmed from her family and her “immense gratitude to be first and foremost a reader and, to a lesser degree, a writer of this otherworldly thing called poetry.”

Erin was nominated for the award by Dr. Alexander and was shocked and delighted to have won. “Recently I had sent some poems to literary journals for the first time and received many rejections and a few acceptance letters. I was feeling pretty discouraged. I respect Dr. Alexander so much and hold her in the highest regard. So for me to know that she thinks my work is worthy is truly priceless. I also felt privileged to be a part of the Belmont community. It was such a lovely ceremony and such a generous award.”

After Erin graduates, she hopes to enroll in the MFA poetry program at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. Congratulations, Erin, and good luck!

Shannon Smith is a Junior BU English Major.

Five Questions with Logan Franks

2010-05-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

Today's graduating senior profile is with Logan Franks, managing editor of this year's outstanding Belmont Literary Journal.

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)? What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

It's hard to answer these questions. I can't think of specific instances that drastically changed my way of understanding myself as a writer - every class I have taken has helped me to realize different aspects of myself, to realize my different strengths. I don't write poetry yet that is the only thing I've ever had published, thanks to the BLJ 2009. I don't feel like a very academic-minded person but presenting in BURS (thanks to Dr. Wells' guidance, patience, and support) was one of my proudest moments in all of my education. I don't feel like a leader most of the time because all I want to do is write (surprise), but as of April 20th I will have helped lead the creation of the coolest literary journal with some of the coolest English majors on campus. I feel like I accomplished so many things in college I never could have foreseen in high school. I don't think I would do anything different. My experience at Belmont has drastically shaped who I am and I like who I have become.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

My plans are hesitant. I will write, I will find a way to write regardless of what "career" I fall into. I've considered applying for MFA programs and am definitely going to be applying for fellowships at writers colonies and workshops. I will probably get a less-than-thrilling day job post-graduation and hope to travel once I save some money. I hope to live in Spain again. I'm kind of a dreamer but only in the way that I recognize life is too short and you're only young for a very short amount of time. I realize you're not allowed to be stupid forever. I just want to take advantage of this freedom from planning, serious expectations, and too much responsibility for a little while.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

I adore David Sedaris and in my free time mostly read memoirs and personal essays. I like almost-real stories, real-ish stories. I really liked J.D. Salinger in high school - yes, I was one of those kids. Before and during freshman year I explored works other than Catcher in the Rye like Franny and Zooey - big fan. I also became kin to Sean Wilsey in Oh the Glory of It All before college. Sophomore year I thought I'd become a Physics major; then I realized how much I loved writing and reading Flannery O'Connor's The Complete Stories way too much to devote my time to labs and experiments. Junior year I half-obsessed over The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls in Third Year Writing. I enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love in Spain. I enjoyed The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz before my senior year. Over Christmas I fell for Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain. This semester I was truly touched by Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev. I think I'm growing up. And when I say "growing up" I really mean "figuring out who I am."

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

True and False. The closer to an end, to an undefined beginning, the more bittersweet everything becomes. But, honestly, does April really have to be this cruel??

Any shout outs on your way out?

James Wells - you'da best and I think I am your biggest cheerleader.

Andrea Stover - never change, you're an amazing teacher and person. LYLAS.

Five Questions with Chris "Chainsaw" Pliny

2010-04-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

Today's graduating senior profile is with Chris "Chainsaw" Pliny, English Club regular and Literacy Day organizer extraordinaire.

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)?

Perhaps my most valuable experience as a major was taking Dr. Wells' Shakespeare class. I had no confidence in reading the Bard beforehand, but upon finishing the course I was able to critically analyze his work. Later that year, something happened when I read As You Like It that really solidified for me what it meant to read a text. It was the first time I used critical articles to look at a text when I wasn't reading it for a class or paper. Very nerdy, but very enlightening as well. I sum up Shakespeare this way:

Reading him is like the weight that baseball players put on their bats during warm-up. Shakespeare makes reading other texts feel lighter than air.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

My immediate post graduate plans are to write for Dish Magazine, a small, online publication. I do their health section and will also be doing a sex and relationships column (hopefully). The battle of the sexes fascinates me. This job will only be part time so I will take other jobs to help make ends meet. Already have another lined up, so I should be set. I will also be working on my first book. And doing research for it.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

My favorite writers really haven't changed. During my junior year of high school, I was introduced to Mark Twain, Robert Frost, ee cummings and Edgar Lee Masters and I love all of them, still. Mark Twain, especially. But I have also added a considerable amount of favorites, particularly Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams, Shakespeare, Tim O'Brien, Cormac McCarthy, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, David Sedaris, and Michael Crichton (though, he has been a favorite since I was a child). I would say that college really solidified my love of American literature. I thank Dr. Trout for that--and her American Lit II class.

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

April has always been my favorite time of the year in Nashville. Call me sentimental.

Any shout outs on your way out?

I would love to give shout outs to Dr. Trout first and foremost. Thanks for everything. It was one of the greatest blessings to have you as my advisor. Thanks for harassing me, too. But I still disapprove of your reading US Weekly.

Dr. Wells: Thanks for all of your encouragement last Spring. And for your wit. Some of my favorite characters in all of literature came from your classes (Feste, Volpone).

Dr. John: What can I say? Your poetry class changed my life's course. I may be broke for the rest of it, now, but as Fiddler Jones says:

And I never started to plow in my life 20
That some one did not stop in the road
And take me away to a dance or picnic.
I ended up with forty acres;
I ended up with a broken fiddle—
And a broken laugh, and a thousand memories, 25
And not a single regret.

Bon Bons: We will always have Africa. Thanks for just being cool. And always supportive. I don't think I'll ever know you as anything else but Bon Bons.

The English Club: Thanks for thinking "Let's Get Textual" was cool. I'm the innuendo king. Call me next year for ideas.

What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

What would have been valuable to know? That it would have turned EVERYTHING into a text. Even people. Oh, and that authors don't count. Only narrators. That has been great in dating. "Honey, that wasn't me telling her she was sexy. That was just the narrator. BIG difference."

Five Questions with Will Hoekenga

2010-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Today's graduating senior profile is of Will Hoekenga, Carl Chaney Award winner as the outstanding male BU English Major.

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)?

Peer-tutoring was definitely a valuable experience because it showed me how difficult it is to teach writing. All of the lit courses I took were valuable experiences since they broadened my view of writing and literature. Senior seminar was valuable because it helped me begin to better my understanding of the role of the humanities within society and the academy.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

I'm starting a professional writing company. I have a client that I will be working pretty much exclusively for full time for the next year or so. He is the business manager for an author who is published by Thomas Nelson. I hope to use his connections to build my list of clients and grow business. Outside of work I will be devoting most of my time to my own writing.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

Yes. Cormac McCarthy has become one of my favorites. I admire his stylistic ability and range (compare Blood Meridian and All the Pretty Horses to No Country for Old Men and The Road...pretty incredible). I've found that, generally, American literature is what I like most. Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men is somewhere among my favorite novels. I read it twice while at Belmont and was amazed by how different it was the second time. Flannery O'Connor is incredibly powerful and her novels should be taught way more often. Kurt Vonnegut was one of my favorites prior to Belmont and I still think his books are great.

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

So true. Especially as a senior. Thanks for the early warning, T.S.

Any shout outs on your way out?

Thanks to all the profs, particularly Stover and Trout for being awesome and challenging. Thanks to Dr. Cox for primo advising and DARS interpretation.

What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

Yes, I would have become an English major freshman year instead of waiting until halfway through my sophomore year to switch. Jack Massey and the school of music business has a part of my soul that I will never get back.

Five Questions with Allison Berwald

2010-04-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Our next graduating senior profile is of Allison Berwald, co-winner of the Virginia Chaney Award for the outstanding female major.

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)?

The most valuable experiences of my English major have been class discussions and working on my papers with the help of a professor. I have participated in so many class discussions in English major classes, particularly in the upper level courses and senior seminar, that have significantly changed and deepened my understanding of a text, of the people in my class, of whatever the text is addressing, and of how to read literature. All the complexities of the text and analysis of it come out in class discussion. I have also found great value in honing my writing with the help of whatever professor is teaching that class and sometimes of peers. Conferences with teachers have helped me understand more about how to engage in the writing process and how to write clearly and insightfully. I have come to love academic writing through this process, which I would never have imagined myself saying when I entered as a freshman.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

My immediate post-graduation plan is to find a job for a year or so in editing, tutoring, teaching, or anything I can as I apply for a Fulbright and to graduate schools.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

My favorite writers have not changed since I have been here, but I understand those writers better and love them more, and I have found many more writers to add to that list. I loved Shakespeare, Austen, Pullman, L'Engle, Rowling, Wilde, and Thoreau before coming here. Now that list has to include Donne, Chaucer, Sidney, and Marquez, among others of course. In most cases I love the depth, complexity, and insightfulness of their writing and their ability to place you in a moment and make you feel completely present in it.

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

Usually true - however, this March was absolutely terrible.

Any shout outs on your way out?

To Dr. James Wells, who has his Ph.D. in throwing down.

What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

I think that I found out everything I needed to know at the moment I needed to know it. I would not have done anything differently from the moment I started my English major. I wish I had been able to take more English classes as electives, though, instead of using them all for my freshman year as a music business major. However, that's what brought me to Belmont, so it was worth it.

Amaryah Armstrong wins Corinne Dale Award and Crabb Award

2010-04-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

by Shannon Smith

Amaryah Armstrong, Senior BU English major, recently won the new Corrine Dale Award for Achievement in Writing about Gender. She took a gender studies class in the Fall 2009 semester with Dr. Caresse John where she wrote the paper as a final project for her class. Dr. John then contacted Amaryah asking her if she wanted to submit the paper for the award. Amaryah then edited her piece with the help of Dr. John and her advisor, Dr. Annette Sisson.

The paper is entitled "Community and Creation: Life and Survival in Tony Morrison’s Sula." Amaryah attempted to connect several things within the paper: how community is tied to creativity in the novel and how this community creates an alternative way of survival inside of an oppressive dominate culture.

Of course, Amaryah was delighted to have won the award. “It was really exciting. It’s funny because I took a couple classes with Dr. Dale, and she was always really challenging and she was always trying to prove to me I could handle the English major.”

Amaryah’s paper also went on to compete against papers from all departments across campus for the Alfred Leland Crabb Award which she also won! Congratulations, Amaryah!

Shannon Smith is a Junior BU English Major.

Five Questions with Carly Escue

2010-04-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

Over the next several days, we'll profile many of the graduating seniors that comprise our biggest class ever (32 graduates!). We'll start with Carly Escue, co-winner of the Virginia Chaney Award, given annually to the outstanding female English Major.

What were the most valuable experiences of your English major (and of course, why)?

This question is a difficult one for me because I tend to think of my English major experiences as a unified whole. It's hard for me to pull out pieces that aren't somehow connected to something else. However, I can say that classroom discussions in my literature courses have been extremely valuable. Both my professors and my peers consistently offered new perspectives which always informed, if not changed my own.

What are your immediate post-graduation plans (including educational/professional ones)?

Although I haven't secured my position yet, I plan to spend the next year teaching English in Russia. I completed a Teaching English as a Second Language certification course last summer, so I'll be putting that experience to use. I took Russian here, and I really want to improve my language skills before deciding upon the if's, what's, and when's of graduate school. This summer I'll be working in Nashville, saving pennies for rubles.

Have your favorite writers changed since you’ve been here? Who are they now and why?

My favorite authors have surely changed over the past four years. I've definitely matured as a reader thanks to the brilliant people by whom I've been surrounded here at Belmont. My absolute favorite is Vladimer Nabokov, though I hadn't read any of his works before I started college. My infatuation with Nabokov was inevitable. His prose is poetry, and his insights are spot on, every time. Of course, my interest in Russian literature and culture fuels my passion for him, especially since he translated much of his own work that wasn't originally created in English. Finally, I love to love him because I can I think of him as "mine": I didn't discover him through any course or reading list.

True or False: "April is the cruellest month."

False. It is cruel in its constantly reminding me of the brevity of my time left here, but this specific April has already been full of experiences which I know I'll carry with me for the whole of my life. It's been the most beautiful April I've known.

Any shout outs on your way out?

The utter selflessness of the English faculty here is reason enough for me to shout out to all of my professors. Thank you for your time and your minds. They weren't wasted on me.

What would it have been valuable for you to know as you were starting your English major? Would you have done anything differently, knowing what you know now?

I definitely would have tried harder to complete an internship. That's the one academic regret I have.

New Bookstore Downtown: Sherlock’s Book Emporium and Curiosities

2010-04-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

by Shelly Reed

Don’t be fooled by the name. Sherlock’s Book Emporium and Curiosities is not just a mystery bookstore. It has a little bit of everything. Owner Steve Guynn compares the store to “shopping in a Hard Rock Café, but where you can buy everything you see.”

Since opening on January 22, 2010 the store has made three times the amount it expected to. After visiting the bookstore myself, this comes as no surprise; they sell a wide selection of unique items. Book topics range from reference, travel, cooking, Christian fiction, rare first editions, signed by the author, young adult, science fiction, and horror. There are large selections of erotic horror and black interest books. The store is also considered a hobby shop, as it sells movies, cards, board games, planners, journals, scrap booking supplies and even lunch boxes.

Sherlock’s is known for its selection of classic films and Guynn suggests buying one of these films and a matching lunch box to make a “one of a kind present.” I personally came home with a small bread recipe book and a DVD birthday card for my father. The DVD shows important events and people from the year he was born.

Another special quality of the store is its dedication to finding rare and out of print books. Guynn believes he plays the role of Sherlock Holmes by searching for these books. His investigative method involves a book search that encompasses four different continents.

The downtown store is a miniature version of the giant Sherlock’s bookstore in Lebanon. The thirty-minute drive is well worth it according to Guynn, as it is the largest independent bookstore and hobby shop in America. This store includes a theater, a café, and even an outdoor racecar track.

If you are looking for rare books, unique collectables, or just a different shopping experience, check out Sherlock’s Book Emporium and Curiosities at 235 Fifth Avenue North. Open Mon-Fri 10-4 pm.

Shelly Reed is a Senior BU English Major.

BU English Major a National Champion Debater

2010-04-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

by Shannon Smith

English Major Kate Tully is a valuable asset to Belmont’s Speech and Debate Team. Since enrolling at Belmont this past fall, she has won numerous awards at competitions around the country. On March 5, 2010, Kate was awarded first place overall for the novice group at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational held at Cedarville University in Ohio. She competed in multiple events, including individual and group, where she was judged on all aspects of her performances.

Kate started out as a member of the team at the beginning of the school year competing only in individual events such as literature interpretation, in which she would act out monologues from literary works, and speech competition, in which she would present prepared speeches.

Kate’s talents as an individual competitor led her to be recruited to compete in group/partner events. Each debate group is composed of two people, although the entire team is allowed to prepare together since they have the same case. They are allotted fifteen minutes of preparation time and given a legal pad on which to brainstorm thoughts, ideas and main points. A fifty-minute debate process follows in which the groups break up and argue their cases.

“My favorite part is being on the team because we [have] all become so close. It’s like we’re a second family,” Kate notes.

Kate believes that she is a better speaker because of her background in writing—and vice versa. “Being on the Speech and Debate Team has helped me develop as a writer,” she says, because during some events we’re forced to speak on the spot. These events help me quickly and fluently articulate my thoughts. Writing the speeches has helped me grow because they are very structured and precise—the organization allows me to efficiently and effectively catalog information.”

Shannon Smith is a Senior BU English Major.

Advising and Course Number Changes

2010-04-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hey, all you English majors. Please make appointments with your advisors for the advising period, April 12-21. Priority Registration begins April 26.

A couple of course changes for this year: Senior Seminar, formerly ENL or ENW 4900 is now listed as ENG 4900 on the "English" tab in Classfinder. Junior Seminar, formerly ENL or ENW 3000, is on the same page, listed as ENG 3000.

Cheryl Glenn to Give Two Talks Next Week

2010-04-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Dr. Cynthia Cox): Please join the Belmont University English Department for two talks by Dr. Cheryl Glenn, Professor of English and Women’s Studies at Penn State University.

On Monday, April 12, at 10:00 in Massey 104, Dr. Glenn will present "Rhetoric, Gender, and the Possibilities of Moving Beyond Women." In this talk, Dr. Glenn, an award-winning teacher and prominent scholar, will discuss innovations in the field of rhetoric, a millenia-old discipline that interrogates persuasion and its role in our culture. The presentation will trace the trajectory of a research agenda in rhetoric studies, one that includes "doing" rhetorical history, theory, and pedagogy (teaching).

At 5:30 on the 12th in Wheeler 102, Professor Glenn will discuss "Developing a Career in Rhetoric and Composition: Preparation and Possibilities." This talk will lay out the preparation necessary for developing a career in this field, a broad academic discipline with many different possibilities. The emphasis will be on conversation, question-and-answer, and deliberation about the future. Come for all or part of this discussion!

Cheryl Glenn is Liberal Arts Research Professor of English and Women’s Studies and co-director of the Center for Democratic Deliberation at The Pennsylvania State University. She has been Visiting Professor at University of New Mexico, University of Cape Town, and University of Alberta and has lectured widely throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. In the summers, she teaches at the Bread Loaf Graduate School of English. In 2008, Glenn served as Chair of the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). Her publications include Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance, Unspoken: A Rhetoric of Silence, Rhetorical Education in America, The St. Martin’s Guide to Teaching Writing, The Writer’s Harbrace Handbook, Making Sense, and The Harbrace Guide for Writers. Glenn’s rhetorical scholarship has earned her National Endowment for the Humanities and Mellon fellowships, the Richard Braddock Award from College Composition and Communication, and the Outstanding Article Award from Rhetoric Review. She has received four teaching awards.

Lakota Poet Ron Colombe Reading April 7

2010-04-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, April 7 at 10:00 Ron Colombe will perform his poetry in Beaman A&B. On the back of his first book of verse, Silent Shouting, Quiet War, the Lakota poet, speaker, powwow dancer, and feather and bead artisan declares: “I was born into tragic circumstances, a child of tragic people, loved like a tragic child—what else, but a poet, could I become?” He was referring to the fact that in 1954, at the tender age of two, he was taken from his parents on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and put into foster care in an attempt by the federal government to end Native culture by assimilating its children into mainstream American life.

Important English Club Meeting Friday at 10

2010-03-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Prof. Trout): We have an English Club meeting tomorrow at 10 in Humanities 209. We will be preparing for Literacy Day. I know it has been a busy week but we really need your help. I will be forwarding the list of participants that Carly has put together so far--we need more of you to come. Last year the English Club broke records with our particpation, and we want to do even better this year. Even if you have never attended an English Club meeting you are still a member. If you cannot attend and still want to participate, let me know asap. See you in the morning!

Women's History Month Keynote Speaker Wednesday

2010-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

At 10:00 Wednesday in the Massey Boardroom, Dr. Lisa Marie Hogeland, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies at the University of Cincinnati, will be discussing whether young women (and men) are still resistant to feminism in what some consider to be an age of post-feminism, fifteen years after she published the article “Fear of Feminism: Why Young Women Get the Willies” in Ms. Magazine. Academic Convo will be available for this event.

Ron Hansen Coming to Belmont March 24; English Club Meets Friday

2010-03-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Prof. Sue Trout and Carly Escue): As many of you know, Ron Hansen will be at Belmont next Wednesday the 24th. Hansen is a highly acclaimed novelist best known for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He writes often about the American West and is generally considered a revisionist writer. He has agreed to make special time for our English majors and minors next Wednesday afternoon--2-3:30 in the Multimedia room of the Bunch Library (2nd floor)--when he will talk with you about being a professional writer and he has agreed to answer whatever questions you might have. Please put this on your schedule for next week--really, really.

In anticipation of this event, the English Club will be meeting this Friday at 10 in WHB 107. During this hour, Dr. Cox will give a general introduction to Hansen as a writer. I will then be glad to discuss Mariette in Ecstasy if anyone has had a chance to read it.

If you have a Nashville Public Library card, you can go here: http://www.library.nashville.org/ to read Mariette in Ecstasy for free! Just search the catalog with that title. An ebook version of the novel will show up in the seach results.

BU English Alum Shawn Knight A One-Man Show

2010-03-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Shawn Knight, BU English Alum and current adjunct instructor, is performing his one-man show, Gershwin in Blue, this weekend at the Belmont University Black Box Theatre.

Gershwin in Blue is a 75-minute show about George Gershwin's influential life and music. From his Russian immigrant parents to his struggles to write his beloved opera, Porgy and Bess, Gershwin in Blue details the life of this amazing composer.

So catch us up on your life since getting your B.A. at Belmont a decade or so ago.

When I graduated from Belmont, I earned my MA in English from Auburn University, then I pursued my MFA in Theatre Performance, which I earned from the University of Louisville. I did a year-long internship at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, which had just won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Then, I returned to Nashville, where I quickly found a home with the Nashville Children's Theatre (my first role there was as Horton the Elephant in Suessical) and back here at Belmont, first working as a tutor in the Writing Center and now teaching third-year writing.

What have been some of your favorite roles/experiences as an actor?

I have managed now to play Horton the Elephant twice, and I love his kindness and perseverance. I have also enjoyed playing Mozart in Amadeus, which is one of those incredibly challenging pieces for an actor. Mozart never appears in that play at anything less than the height of some emotion--whether that be anger, lust, elation, or sorrow--and to throw oneself into that nightly is exhausting and exhilarating all at once.

Is your acting something separate from your life as a university teacher? Or how does acting inform your teaching?

I don't see acting, teaching, or writing, as being all that disparate, given that the goal of each is to communicate. Perhaps they require slightly different approaches, but they all aim to share information, and quite often emotion, with an audience. In each instance, this requires clarity and creativity. I also think the energy I bring to the stage acting is the same kind of energy that can grab the attention of students and make a course appealing that (let's face it) many students do not look forward to taking.

What is the Gershwin show about, and how did you develop it?

One semester in an acting class at the University of Louisville, our entire course consisted of one task: research, write, and perform a one-person show about a famous dead historical figure. I wanted to choose a figure who would allow me to use my singing, acting, and piano-playing skills; Gershwin seemed an ideal choice. As I researched his life, I looked for a clear character arc to explore in what would ultimately end up being 60-75 minutes of performance. U of L has one of only four African-American Theatre programs in the country, so issues of race and creative rights were always being discussed in the department. When I began to read about Gershwin's work on Porgy and Bess, and the criticism he received as a white composer writing a black opera, I knew what this play would be.

What else should we expect to see you in soon?

Starting April 13, I'll be playing Wilbur in Charlotte's Web at the Nashville Children's Theatre, and I'm hoping to have the Nashville premiere of my other one-man show (based on the life of Cole Porter) in the fall sometime. Beyond that, I have a few offers that have come my way lately for some new play readings, but I'm not sure which I'll be able to participate in.

The show runs March 19, 20, and 21 (Friday through Sunday), at 7:30 PM each evening, at the Belmont University Black Box Theatre. Tickets are $5 per person, with half the proceeds going to the Belmont University Theatre Scholarship Fund.

No reservations required. Cash only at the door.

For more information, email Shawn at knightshawn@earthlink.net.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

2010-03-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

By Shannon Smith

On March 2, 2010, Belmont University students and faculty celebrated the 106th birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, in a convo event in Massey 109. The celebration of Seuss’ life and work commenced with a group reading of his popular The Foot Book, followed by a discussion of his pleasing word choices, unusual rhyme schemes, and unique illustrations.

Dr. Rachael Flynn-Hopper, from the Department of Education, provided listeners with a wealth of little-known information about Geisel. Dr. Seuss is renowned, of course, for the 48 children’s books he published. What many don’t know is that he also wrote for publications such as Vanity Fair, devised advertising slogans, and even created the first animated training films for the soldiers in World War II. While attending college at Dartmouth, Seuss was the editor for the campus humor magazine. After publishing a piece that got him fired from the job, he adopted the name “Seuss” so he could still contribute.

Seuss classified himself as a doodler by trade and at heart; many have unsuccessfully tried to imitate his intricate drawing style. Seuss also selected colors that would be distinctive.

Dr. Seuss’ goal in writing children’s stories was to encourage kids to read. His first book was And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. This work was turned down by 27 publishers before a friend agreed to do the job. One of his most popular books, Green Eggs and Ham, was written in response to a bet that challenged him to write a book using 50 or fewer words.

Our celebration slowly came to a close as we read Hooray for Diffendoofer Day and watched a clip from an animated version of The Sneetches, a Seuss story that symbolically examines the folly of racial discrimination. We parted quoting the wonderful Dr. Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Shannon Smith is a Senior BU English Major.

Writing Tips from Margaret Atwood and Others

2010-03-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

Dr. Curtis thinks it would be a good Spring Break idea for you aspiring writers to read this article published in The Guardian a couple of weeks ago with writing tips from this Fall's Humanities Symposium keynote speaker Margaret Atwood and many others: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one

(Dr. Curtis especially likes Elmore Leonard's contention that "[t]o use an adverb [to modify the word 'said'] (or almost any way) is a mortal sin.")

Enjoy!

Pre-Spring Break English Club Meeting Friday

2010-03-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

English Club President Carly Escue wants you to know that this Friday at 10:00 in WHB 107, the English Club will be meeting to brainstorm Literacy Day themes. If you were a judge for the Elementary schoolers' poetry, remember that today is the deadline for getting your second round scores to Chris Pilny.

We'll also be introducing the book we'll be reading in anticipation of Ron Hansen's visit after Spring Break.

Mid-term Movie Break

2010-03-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening at 7:00 in the Beaman Student Life Center, the Program Board is showing Where the Wild Things Are. Though there's no convo, free admission and snacks have been promised. To whet your viewing appetite, check out Gia Vangieri's October review of the film.

BU English Alum Needs Your Help

2010-03-02T08:39:00.001-08:00

(from BU English Alum and current Instructor Kristen House): Hi Belmont! Andrew and I entered our short film, "I had weekends in Paris; I wore sparkly things" into The Doorpost Film Project. It's a multi-stage festival competition with a grand prize of $100,000! We were selected into the first round of 100 merited films (out of a pool of thousands!) and now we need your help.

To get through to the next round (of 20 films), we must survive an online vote. The process takes a little effort, and I am really nervous about the outcome. I'm recruiting you because we need that Belmont spirit behind us!

Go to http://www.facebook.com/l/a92e8;www.thedoorpost.com and register. Then you'll see a link at the top of the page that says "voting." The system will present five films to you (none are longer than 7 minutes), which you must watch in their entirety before you rank them with your vote. If you could watch a few batches for us, and vote our film UP! we would be much appreciative. It is a process - but maybe you'll have some free time over spring break that you can dedicate to independent film!

Also, this batch of entrants are interesting and beautiful. Please recruit anyone among your friends (or students!) who you think would enjoy watching some independent shorts! Thank you so much!

Dr. Curtis Named Associate Dean

2010-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Dr. David Curtis, Chair of the English Department, has been selected to be the Associate Dean for the School of Humanities starting June 1. Dr. Curtis's new position became available when Dr. Monteverde was promoted to Assistant Provost for international education last August.

The English Department will be selecting a new Chair some time later this month.

English Majors Kick Off Women's History Month

2010-03-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

Dr. Caresse John and Dr. Sarah Bowles, faculty co-sponsors again of Women's History Month at Belmont, invite you to the first event of this year's celebration--a student panel discussing Feminism at Belmont. Panelists include BU English majors Amaryah Armstrong, Nathan Haney, Gia Vangieri, and Shawn Willis. PG convo will be offered at this event, slated for Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 in Beaman A & B.

Stay tuned to the blog for details on further events in this series!

BU English Major Releases EP

2010-02-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

See this piece in the Belmont Vision about Michael Huff, multitalented English major (see his write-up of the Staunton, Virginia trip here). You can catch Michael live tonight at The Rutledge.

Wells, Fallis to Speak at Homecoming Events

2010-02-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

Dr. James Wells will deliver the Simmons Lecture on Wednesday, February 24 at 10:00 in the Massey Board Room. The title of his talk is "'And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine': Tantalizing Prospects in Shakespeare's Theatre."

On Thursday at 11:00 in the Vince Gill Room, Dr. Richard Fallis will discuss "What is the Future of the Liberal Arts?" Dr. Fallis is a former faculty member and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Belmont, is is currently Professor of English and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Mercer University.

Hope to see you all there.

Poems to Songs for BU English Alum

2010-02-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

BU English alum Aaron Briggs just received word that two of his poems--turned into lyrics as part of a song cycle "From Nashville to Dalton" by Rachel Fogarty--will be performed by the Boston Metro Opera at the 1st Annual Contemporary AmericanaFest in May. You can find the text of the poems on Aaron's blog here.

In other Briggs family news, Aaron and fellow BU English alum Ashley (Bienvenu) Briggs welcomed baby Ansel Franklin Briggs into this world February 15. Congratulations all around!

Support "Local Literacy"

2010-02-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

On Friday, the English Club will continue to collect money to create a basket full of goodies to be auctioned off during Homecoming to raise money for Literacy Day. The theme of the basket will be "Local Literacy," both in the sense of reading and of learning about local businesses. You are encouraged to ask the place where you work or any other local businesses you frequent to contribute gift certificates we can put in the basket.

Professor Trout will be bringing more baked goods to the Writing Center tomorrow for a second "fake bake sale," so come by and give a couple of bucks to Denise Mabry and enjoy the taste of good citizenship.

BU English Majors in Print

2010-02-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

Check out the February edition of Southern Inspired magazine. Managing Editor and BU English alum Claire Ploegman has left some copies on the table outside Dr. Paine's office. In this issue, you'll find articles by Claire and by current BU English majors Meagan Proctor, Sarah Shepherd, and Cory Pavlinac (who, you may remember, wrote about the Southern Festival of Books for the blog back in 2009). You can also become a fan of Southern Inspired on Facebook.

Valentine Poetry Stand Event Friday!

2010-02-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

(from Dr. Alexander): The Belmont Literary Journal is having a Valentine's Day publicity/sort-of-fund-raiser tomorrow in Beaman, writing and typing customized poems for all comers. The BLJ will be accepting donations (sort of a "tip jar" arrangement) for the poems. English students should drop by to say hello and order a poem--however, I should note that they may be drafted to help write poems if the demand is great! Just kidding. It is fun, though, and if anyone wants to help, you won't be turned away.

In any case, here's the more relevant thing: If everything goes well with the "tip jar" tomorrow that might bode well for future fund-raising use of the Poetry Stand. Whatever happens, the PS is available for any and all English students to make use of for whatever English-related purpose they might be able to devise, including fundraising. The PS lives in my office, just because there's nowhere else to store it, but it can be commandeered anytime. I'll show anyone wanting to use it how to break it down/set it up.

English Club Meeting Friday!

2010-02-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Our first English Club meeting will be held tomorrow at 10:00 in WHB 209. There is much to discuss, including events this semester and our participation in Family Literacy Day. Everyone is welcome—bring a friend. If you have not gotten your t-shirts you ordered last semester they will be available for pick-up. And of course, there will be snacks.

Interview with Dr. James Wells

2010-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

by Kindall Duke

The latest version of Henry IV Part 2, edited by BU English professor James Wells, was released in January as part of the New Kittredge Shakespeare Series. Dr. Wells is currently teaching a Special Studies in Shakespeare: Editing Shakespeare class which is involved in editing The Taming of the Shrew. Dr. Wells will be delivering the Simmons Lecture on February 24.

What led you to edit 2 Henry IV as opposed to another play?
I was asked by the series editor at the Shakespeare Association conference in 2007 if I would like to participate in this series called the New Kittredge Shakespeare that he was putting together, and a number of the plays were already taken. He asked me which of the plays I wanted to do and I said, ‘How about Coriolanus?” and he said, “How about Henry IV Part 2?” I love Henry IV Part 2, and think it is an incredible play. It is equally as accomplished as Henry IV Part 1, but it’s taught more rarely and is a bit more difficult to read. I was asked by the editor specifically to do this play, but really I’m glad I got to do it.

When editing a play, where do you start? Can you describe the process?
Where I start is reading the play again, and again, and again, and again and gaining that textual knowledge. After that there are a number of things that have to be done. There are source materials that need to be read. Shakespeare uses the history of Raphael Holinshed—his Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland—so I had to go back and look at that. That was one of the principal sources. After that, what editors have to start doing is looking at other editions of the play. There are other editions that go back all the way to the early 18th century and the editions that go back even to the 16th century. The play was originally performed around 1597 and shortly thereafter it was published in a quarto version that came out. You’re looking to see what other people have said about this play in the past in order to come to the best understanding possible, so I spent a great deal of time looking at a compilation of all the editors and changes to the play and annotations going all the way back to the 18th century. Then I looked at all the modern editions of the play as well in order to figure out the best way to relate the material to readers.

When going through all that material, what are some of the challenges you encounter, especially with an author like Shakespeare about whom so much has already been written?
I’m going to start with the end of that question. There’s a little bit of a different activity that goes on with editing than with literary criticism and that type of scholarship. In literary criticism, what you’re aiming to do is be original, to contribute something that hasn’t been said before. Now, the category I’m about to place editing in does not exclude trying to be original, but you are first trying to be helpful and allow readers to come to a better understanding of the text—to make it more available to readers. The best editions I still think are those that are generous and make the reading process more rewarding and less forbidding. I think one of the main things about reading Shakespeare is that it’s a challenge for 20th and 21st century readers, for students and even scholars who study Shakespeare but are approaching a play they have not read for a long time. What we’re trying to do is bridge those gaps between modern understanding and the meaning on the page without limiting what the meanings are.
One of the challenges that I had was a dispositional challenge. I had to break away from wanting to engage in an ongoing conversation with other editors and start thinking in terms of a collaborative effort, even though the people don’t know they’re collaborating with me. You’re not trying to one-up another editor. That being said, I also want to say it’s very humbling looking at the work other editors have done because people have already done incredible work on this play. No one is going to come to a play as an editor and change anything, so that was a dispositional challenge I faced.
The other was the challenge of figuring out what needs to be annotated and explained to students and other readers and what does not need to be explained, trying to find that appropriate level of understanding. If you don’t help people enough you end up losing them, if you help them too much it becomes tedious and they keep looking down at notes they don’t need to look down at and eventually stop reading them. Then there was the even more challenging part of wording things in a clear and lively way. There are so many times when I would have worked very hard on how to phrase an annotation only to find another editor had done it in fewer words and much more clearly than I had done it.

Was there something you learned that surprised you while you were editing?
When I consider the volume of information I learned doing the play that’s the thing that is surprising. I learned so much. I consider that I know a pretty good amount of Shakespeare and about the plays that I’m teaching; however, there is no teacher like going through every line of the play trying to figure out what needs to be explained and what doesn’t. It taught me that as a reader I take hundreds of shortcuts. It was an eye-opening experience in that way.
When I think about information about the play itself there were a number of points I thought I understood, then when I started interpreting it on a new level in order to understand what all the metaphors meant I started to see larger patterns and could just stand in awe once again of Shakespeare’s genius.

In the publishing process, what kind of restrictions were you working under?
This was taking an edition of Shakespeare which had previously been published by George Lyman Kittredge, one of the original, we might call him, Shakespeare teacher scholars. I think he was the first to offer Shakespeare as a class in literature. Toward the end of his career he came out with a complete works of Shakespeare that he had edited, and he appended a glossary to the end of it. After he finished that, when he was in his 70’s, he started editing and annotating them individually. He got to 16 of them before he died. The proprietor of Focus Publishing wanted to bring these back out, so we were dealing with someone else’s textual editing without the annotations. I was given the freedom to do anything I wanted with the text and with annotations; however, this was designated as a student edition rather than a scholar edition. The difference there is that I was trying to mainly address the issues and the problems students would encounter reading, not the issues scholars have with this play. We were also asked to write about film adaptations. I have to say I found writing about film as one of the biggest challenges of doing this series. I enjoy and appreciate Shakespeare on film, but I’ve never been an enthusiast in the same way. I was a little bit timid, but I enjoyed watching the film versions very much. Those were the only restrictions other than the restrictions that were already a part of the professional standard.

According to the back of this book you are currently working on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Is there anything else we can look forward to or anything you would really like to do?
The work I’ve got there is enough to keep me busy for the next year, and I’m working on a book about Shakespeare. That book is on the way Shakespeare uses experiences that audiences have willy nilly when they see or read a play and the way Shakespeare takes those experiences and intensifies them through the plot and themes. There’s a pattern in his plays. He finds a way of taking what audiences already enjoy in the experience of drama and making it more intense by representing it on stage.

Is there one play you would want to work on if you ever have the time or the option?
Can I add this plug in there? I’ve got the class that is working on The Taming of the Shrew, and I just finished an article on it that’s coming out in a collection of essays in a couple of years. It’s an amazing play. It’s an earlier work by Shakespeare that really shows what he was capable of, even at a young age. Even though it’s a play that some would call problematic now—and it really is—it’s delightful.
I don’t think I would ever want to edit Hamlet. I can tell you something I don’t want to do. But editing is a very rewarding—not financially—in terms of the appeal it has for people who want to teach. I think there is an educational component to editing because even if you’re not looking at the people you’re teaching, you’re actively involved in teaching.

Is there anything you would like to add?
I just want to add—and I hope this is clear—that there are fewer things that are more humbling than editing a work of Shakespeare. It was an honor to do this project. And you can buy it! It will be on Amazon soon for $8.95.

Kindall Duke is a Senior BU English Major.

Snow-etry

2010-01-29T10:50:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this poem from Ralph Waldo Emerson today, as you view these vintage images of our campus under snow. (If it goes on too much longer, you may need this one.)

Study Abroad in France Meets Today

2010-01-29T03:53:00.000-08:00

Interested in Study Abroad in France this Summer? Meet with Dr. John Paine in WHB 209 at 10:00 Friday morning. If you can't make this meeting but are still interested, contact Dr. Paine at john.paine@belmont.edu or at 460-6244.

English Club Meeting Moved to February 5

2010-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

In anticipation of a "Nashville Weather Event" (and I think you know what that means) and wasted baking, Professor Trout is postponing the first English Club meeting until next Friday, February 5 at 10 am in WHB 209.

Meanwhile, The Show Goes on for Study Abroad!

2010-01-28T10:23:00.000-08:00

Dr. Maggie Monteverde wants to you know that this summer Belmont is sponsoring 14 study abroad trips involving Belmont faculty on 6 of the 7 continents, in programs ranging in length from 2 to 6 weeks, studying subjects in a wide variety of majors, as well as general education offerings in Third Year Writing and Junior Cornerstone? In addition, through CCSA Belmont students can also participate in a wide range of programs in English-speaking countries for Belmont credit. It’s not too late to work this into your summer plans, but application deadlines for some programs will be coming up soon. Stop by Beaman A&B at 10:00 tomorrow--Friday, January 29--for some general information and to see what’s available. Representatives of many of these programs as well as from the office of International Education will be on hand to answer questions and provide applications. Isn’t it time you visited Argentina, Cambodia, Canada, China, Eastern Europe, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Germany, the Holy Land, Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland and earned college credit by studing Art, Music Business, Spanish, Theatre, Nursing, French, German, Poli Sci, Media, Philosophy, or Business?

Submit to BLJ

2010-01-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

Dr. Danielle Alexander wants you to know that submissions for the Belmont Literary Journal are being accepted until February 12 . Along with art, song lyrics, poetry, and fiction, BLJ is especially interested in creative nonfiction, a separate category this year.

In order to submit to the BLJ:

1. Fill out a (white) "Submission Form," available outside Dr. Alexander's office, in the Writing Center, or in the Library lobby. A hard copy of this form must be submitted to Dr. Alexander.

2. You must submit your prose or poetry as an email attachment to danielle.alexander@belmont.edu. You may submit a hard copy of your work, but you don't have to.

If you would like to work as a reader for one of the selection committees, please see the Writing Center or Dr. Alexander's office door for a (lemon) "Survey of Work Interests" form. There are a limited number of spaces available for the different selection committees (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction), so fill out your form soon! We’ll be finalizing the selection committees by mid-February.

As many of you know, Dr. Curtis likes to point out that he published in the same college literary jounral as Cormac McCarthy (two pieces to one at that). Who is going to say something like that about you? Submit to BLJ, and be someone's brush with greatness!

Dr. John's New Edition

2010-01-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. Caresse John and her husband Christian welcomed a 9 lb, 4 oz. baby girl, Elliott Elise John, to the world on January 26. Congratulations all around!

Other Faculty News

2010-01-28T07:10:00.000-08:00

In December, Belmont University announced the promotion of Dr. Amy Hodges Hamilton to Associate Professor of English and the promotion of Dr. David Curtis to full Professor.

Sabbaticals were approved for the Fall of 2010 for Dr. James Wells and for the Spring of 2011 for Dr. Bonnie Smith. (Dr. Doug Murray is on sabbatical for the current Spring 2010 semester.)

The Tempest at the Troutt

2010-01-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival's performance of The Tempest in the Troutt Theater runs Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:30 through January 31.

After the evening performance of The Tempest, on Saturday, Jan. 30, a panel of scholars will give short presentations and field questions on the play and its production. The panel includes Dr. Marcia McDonald (Provost—Belmont), Dr. Leah Marcus (Edwin Mims Professor of English-Vanderbilt), Dr. James Wells (Associate Professor of English-Belmont), Claire Syler (Director, Nashville Shakespeare Festival), and Denise Hicks (Artistic Director, NSF). There will be Academic Lecture convo credit for this event.

Dr. Wells to Speak at Pull-Tight Theatre

2010-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Dr. James Wells will present “The Taming of the Shrew and the Expense of Laughter” as part of the Prelude to Pull-Tight Players’ production of that play on Sunday, January 24, at 2 p.m. The Pull-Tight Theatre is located at 112 2nd Avenue South in Franklin, TN. The Prelude consists of scenes from Shakespeare’s play, the presentation by Dr. Wells, and refreshments.

Anne Rice Q&A Tonight!

2010-01-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

(submitted by BU English Major Logan Allen) I'm doing a Skype Q&A event with Anne Rice Tomorrow (Wednesday) Jan. 13 at 7:00PM in the Massey board room, and I would really enjoy seeing some of our English majors there. Could you forward this email to everyone for me to spread the word?

For those who may not know, Anne Rice is the author of wildly popular Vampire Chronicles series and the Lives of the Mayfair Witches series. Her bestsellers include Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Witching Hour, and many more. She returned to Catholicism in 1998 and dedicated her work to God in 2002. Her recent bestseller, a Christian supernatural thriller, called Angel Time marks the debut of her protagonist Toby O'Dare, an assassin that achieves salvation, is enlisted to work with a league of God's angels, called Seraphs, and travels through time.

The themes for the event will be process, creativity, and the supernatural, and anyone is welcome to come and ask Ms. Rice a question, pertaining to those themes, about any of her books. This is a really great opportunity to talk with such a widely published author.

Applications for May Graduation Due

2009-11-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Today at Belmont Central. Remember, too, that Priority Registration will be open until December 11.

Grad Students Present in Chattanooga

2009-11-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

Story by Mallory Matyk
Photos by Stephen McElroy

On October 16th and 17th, four English graduate students attended the Second Annual Graduate Student Conference on Literature, Rhetoric and Composition at UT-Chattanooga. Kyllikki Persson presented “Defending Rhetoric: Opening Academic Discourse through Classical Thought”; Stephen McElroy presented “The NFL on Regional Radio and National Television: A Comparative Linguistic Analysis”; Molly Barger presented on the Shakespeare panel with “Hal and the Redemption of a Prince”; and Mallory Matyk presented on the contemporary literature panel with “Chick Lit: Highbrow Literature or Perfectly Plucked Eyebrow Literature.”

The Belmont contingent attended various panels and also explored the city of Chattanooga, dining at local eateries and visiting the incomparable Tennessee Aquarium. On Friday evening, the students were treated to an engaging keynote speaker, Dr. Noel Polk of Mississippi State University, who displayed original Faulkner manuscripts of The Sound and the Fury, complete with notes from the author and editors. (With regards to Faulkner’s burgeoning stream-of-consciousness, one editor scribbled, “I don’t get this.” Further down the page, he added, “Same here.”) Overall, the trip was a success. The group is looking forward to submitting abstracts for the spring conference, and they encourage fellow graduate students to do the same. (For submitting abstracts or requesting information, email the conference administrators at xialpha.utc.conference@gmail.com.)

Author Lisa Klein Coming to Belmont

2009-11-23T07:31:00.000-08:00

(submitted by Dr. James Wells): Dr. Lisa Klein, author of the young adult novels, Ophelia and Lady Macbeth’s Daughter, will be on campus next week. I encourage you all to attend the three following events associated with her visit. All should be enriching experiences.

Wed. Dec. 2, 10:00, Wheeler 209: The English Club and Sigma Tau Delta will host a discussion of Ophelia led by Dr. Wells in Wheeler 209. All are welcome, but the experience will be more valuable if you’ve read this fine book in advance. Academic Lecture convo.

Thursday, Dec. 3, 5:30, LCVA 117: Lisa Klein will give a professional talk on the field of writing young adult fiction. Q&A session to follow. Personal/Professional Growth convo.

Friday, Dec. 4, 10:00, LCVA 117: Lisa Klein will read from her work. Q&A session will follow. Culture and Arts convo.

Order Your English Club T-Shirt by Friday

2009-11-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

(submitted by English Club President Carly Escue): Whether or not you've managed to make an English Club meeting, we'd like for all English majors, minors, and speakers to get in on our "Let's Get Textual" shirt order! The shirt options are a colored T-shirt ($6), colored long sleeve T-shirt ($8), or a colored hooded sweatshirt ($14).

THESE PRICES ARE ONLY GUARANTEED IF WE CAN GET OUR ORDER IN BY FRIDAY.
The Writing Center has agreed to serve as a payment depot for us. Here's what you need to do if you want a shirt.

1) Take the appropriate amount of money (cash or check made out to Carly Escue) to the writing center.
2) The wooden box full of empty envelopes is on top of the filing cabinet on the back wall. Put your money in an envelope, along with a piece of paper with the following information:

Your name, phone number, and email address
Type of shirt (t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, or sweatshirt)
Shirt color (go to the following site for color options: http://www.sanmar.com/sanmar-servlets/CatalogBrowser?productId=2000&top=Y)
Image color (white or black depending on the color shirt you pick)
Size (S-XL are the standard sizes; please include one extra dollar for every extra X)

3) Write your name on the outside of the envelope. Seal it. Put it in the box. Exit the writing center.

In order to get the prices I've listed above, our order needs to be in by Friday November 20. I'll be picking up the box at around 3:00pm that day. Oh yeah, also register to graduate by Friday (if that applies to you).

We need to have 24 shirts in order to place an order, so tell your friends! Also, what a great Christmas present for your mother!

Roxanne Mountford Lecture

2009-11-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

(from the Campus Calendar) Next Wednesday (November 18) at 10:00 in the Leu Art Gallery (in the Library), Roxanne Mountford, associate professor of English and Writing Program Director at the University of Kentucky, will give a lecture entitled "Rhetorical Performance and Religious Authenticity: The Case of Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944)" Professor Mountford's talk will explore the tensions between rhetorical performance and authenticity in American public life by examining the press accounts of the preaching of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. In the 1920s and 1930s, McPherson was one of the most famous individuals in America. Her sermons are described by observers as "supernatural whoopee," complete with props, costumes, and unparalleled style of delivery. She built a 5,000-seat temple in Los Angeles at a time when women ministers were still exceedingly rare. Religious authorities since St. Augustine have argued that the effectiveness of the sermon trumps all other considerations, including the moral standing of the preacher. But the spectacle McPherson loved raised questions of authenticity with the American press, and journalists ultimately brought down her career by tirelessly investigating her moral standing.

Langston Hughes famously namechecked McPherson in his controversial 1932 poem, "Goodbye Christ" (for which McPherson's followers famously harrassed Hughes during his 1940 tour promoting The Big Sea).

Academic Lecture convo credit will be offered for undergraduates.

English Club Meeting

2009-11-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

The English Club met Friday at 10 in Wheeler. Announcements included attending the Sigma Tau Delta Conference (submission deadline: November 20); getting a group together to see The Road; and ordering the new English Club "Let's Get Textual" t-shirts (expect an email from Carly Escue on this great deal).

The meeting wrapped up with the Fall Apples to Apples competition: congratulations to winner Sarah Gaskin, who took home the coveted Trout Apple Trophy.

Spoken Word Poetry Workshop

2009-11-13T11:10:00.001-08:00

(from the Campus Calendar): By combining education, arts, and youth leadership, spoken word has become one of the most innovative literacy development tools over the past decade. Teens have been voting for spoken word programs with their feet by showing up to spoken word workshops, opens mics, showcases, and poetry slams around the country. Spoken word poetry is a visceral experience which competes with television, the internet, and video games for teen mind-share. Students participating in spoken word programs report improvement in their reading and writing skills, increased self-confidence, and a new sense of community among their peers and teachers. Educators report a clear rise in interest among students, a more youth-driven learning environment, and evidence of greater social and academic confidence among students. Benjamin Smith, Executive Director of Youth Speaks Nashville, and local youth poets will be at Belmont to conduct a convocation event (from 4-5:30 next Tuesday, November 17, in the Neely Dining Hall)which provides an overview of spoken word youth development programming, features performances by local youth poets, and engages attendees in an introductory spoken word writing workshop.
(PG Convo will be available for undergrads.)

Special Halloween Book Review: On Stranger Tides

2009-10-31T04:43:00.000-07:00

by Nathan Haney

...And unmoor’d souls may drift on stranger tides
Than those men know of, and be overthrown
By winds that wold not even stir a hair ...
--William Ashbless

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.
--Philip K. Dick

Every time I venture into a Tim Powers novel I find myself enthralled, and I cannot say why. Perhaps I find appeal in Powers’ historic breadth and learnedness, or maybe I find Powers’ metaphysical universe intriguing? Either way, Powers never ceases to amaze me. But I emphasize again that I cannot say why he so amazes me. Nor, for that matter, can I place a name on what it is that so draws me to his writings. I typically dislike your everyday, contemporary work of science fiction/ fantasy, and I never found much enjoyment in a thousand pages of historical intrigue, but Powers’ works, contrary to face value, appear different somehow. Indeed, upon closer inspection, they contain a rootedness in reality lost in the works of other contemporary writers in similar genres. Granted, Powers’ works do contain evil clowns, vampires, werewolves, and every other sort of fabulous creature imaginable, but Powers brings a certain symbolic rationality to his works that other writers frankly do not possess.

Powers, born in Buffalo, New York in 1952, grew up in a devout Roman Catholic home. In 1959, Powers and his family moved to California where he later attended The University of Cal State Fullerton. While at Cal, Powers studied English Literature and, in so doing, first met friends and fellow authors James P. Blaylock, K.W. Jeter, and Philip K. Dick. Together these men, along with a few others, began collaborating to write countless books, essays, and poems, continuing to do so up to the present day.

Since the publication of The Drawing of the Dark and The Anubis Gates, Powers has drawn in readers with assurances of terror and a utilization of historic fiction all his own. Readers best recognize Powers by his use of historic oddity, or in other words, his integration of historic fact with fictional obscurity. In addition, Powers brings to his works a fascinating look into the world of the metaphysical, skillfully reshaping the face of history to allow magic a greater role in the enacting of definitive historical events. The result is a memorable and, oftentimes, haunting vision of the world around us.

On Stranger Tides is no exception, with ghosts, incantations, and witch doctors aplenty, lending itself reminiscent of Powers’ earlier works.

Set in the Caribbean region of Haiti during the reign of King George I, On Stranger Tides traces the journey of John Chandagnac, an Englishman and former puppeteer on a quest to avenge his father and reclaim his rightful inheritance. Troubles soon arise, however, when pirates overwhelm his vessel and force John into a crucial predicament: join the crew or die. With his father’s honor ever in mind, John (later dubbed Jack Shandy) chooses life with the crew, not knowing, however, that these pirates sway under the authority of the infamous Blackbeard and not privy to the work that they will soon have in store. What becomes of his decision is a hodgepodge of magic, intrigue, love, and betrayal that is sure to impress most readers. And with appearances by notable historic figures such as Juan Ponce de Leon and the aforementioned Blackbeard, On Stranger Tides is sure to capture the attention of fans from a broad range of literary genres.

Powers’ unique perception of historic fact coupled with his moderate contemporary tone combine to form a grand, somewhat farcical, saga reminiscent of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. But above all, Powers rarely calls the authenticity of the inexplicable into question. As the result, Powers’ works become products of the unknown, eerily realistic and brought to light only by his pronounced theological message.

As a devout Catholic, Powers possesses a chilling appreciation of the reality of good and evil, their struggle, and a beautiful understanding of righteousness under persecution. His works, therefore, commemorate this grand struggle by focusing on a clash between the symbolic powers of East and West as seen through the eyes of some arduous and wayward soul. In each of Powers’ works, redemption and the revelation of Truth are themes dynamic to the development of the central character. Suffering and Christ-like sacrifice also play their parts in the fulfillment of characters’ lives. And of course the realities of sin and judgment remain his foremost theme.

Powers repeatedly makes a point to specify the necessity both of earthly rootedness and Christian self-denial in his books. He fosters in us a healthy reminder of his belief in our need for spiritual awareness while reminding us of our earthly bonds: the Fall, human insufficiency, and our need for a savior. Powers achieves his aim through the lives of his heroes, often placing his protagonists in situations certain to render them harm. Indeed, Powers delights in the humanness of his heroes and takes joy in the reversal of their own self-reliance. He stresses that his heroes are not supermen, possessing deep-seated spiritual gifts, nor are they saints or knights in shining armor, fearless and infallible. Quite to the contrary, Powers’ denotes that his heroes are humans, weak, fallen humans, dependant upon the good graces of a mysterious, but sovereign, higher authority for their provision and made to suffer for their call and greater good.

Powers’ On Stranger Tides borders on the fantastical and perhaps the ridiculous. His attempt at producing historic fiction with twentieth century relevance, while successful, sometimes hinders the clarity of his finer goals and plot points. Nevertheless, Powers’ intriguing storylines, innovative creative methods, and enlightened looks at matters of spirituality and the character and nature of God merit the attention of anyone in search of a fun, exciting, learned, and well-written novel. Trust me, once you start, you won’t want to put it down!

Nathan Haney is a Junior BU English Major.

Movie Review: Bright Star

2009-10-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

by Julia Nettles

Ending its run at the Belcourt Theatre this week is Jane Campion's Bright Star, a biopic about John Keats. This film, starring Abbie Cornish and Ben Wishaw, details the affair between Fanny Brawne and Keats through Brawne’s eyes. For those who don’t know the story: Keats and Brawne had a passionate love affair that lasted for two years, until Keats’s unfortunate death at the age of 25. The film details the story through the eyes of Fanny Brawne. Initially the two seem unsuited. Fanny is a much more serious student of fashion, and Keats is rather odd, a silly poet. However, there is an intensity that permeates between them throughout the film; it begins simply with a touch of the hand, and gradually moves to hand holding and then kissing. There is a relative playfulness to Keats and Brawne’s relationship when they are together. One scene in particular that displays this lighthearted affection occurs after the couple’s first kiss. A quite humorous scene that happens while the two are trailing after Fanny’s sister Toots. They sneak kisses and handholding through statue-like stances every time Toots turns around.

It is when the two are apart, however, that their words to each other are poignant and grand, and Cornish’s acting when the two are not with one another is haunting. Fanny Brawne’s soul seems to decay on screen when Keats is not with her. Therefore the ending, which I will not give away with the hope that you will see it, has powerful resonance, and was enough to make everyone in the audience tear up.

The equally intense character Charles Armitage Brown (Paul Schneider) causes what at first looks to be a love triangle. Brown clearly dislikes and feels a rivalry with Brawne from the very beginning, even prior to her relationship with Keats, and uses every opportunity to demonstrate her inferiority. In one scene in particular, Brown tries to prove Fanny a fraud by asking her a trick question about Paradise Lost. At points of the film, it is clear that Brown’s issue with Fanny stems from both her presence in Keats’s life and her possession of Keats’s affections. Brown’s overwhelming regard for John Keats makes him act as a jealous lover at times, and Keats’s relationship with Fanny Brawne was obviously very difficult for him to stomach.

The beautiful Hampstead, London backdrop also has a role in influencing the emotional course of the film, perhaps as much as the characters. The poetry read in the film, for example, is that much more interesting and beautiful because it is read in such a gorgeous place. The trees, the leaves, the grass, the wildflowers all play key roles in this film. Even a butterfly’s cameo adds to the depth of Fanny and John’s romance.

Overall, Bright Star was quite good. Ben Wishaw’s performance as John Keats was seemed natural and authentic, and you won’t soon forget Abbie Cornish’s Fanny Brawne. The film’s narrative generally had a very easy flow, and the score capably mixes serenity and passion in a way that enhances the picture. This is definitely an entertaining “art” film worth seeing at a theatre.

Julia Nettles is a Sophomore BU English Major.

Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

By Gia Vangieri

What is the first order of business? To quote both the book and the movie, “Let the wild rumpus start!” Director Spike Jonze does just that as we follow Max (played by Max Records) as he plummets into the depths of an uncharted vernal imagination. Max finds his psyche fractioned off and manifested in loveable and dangerous “Wild Things” and becomes their king. It must be noted as word of warning, this PG-rated movie is about a child, but not necessarily for children.

Max runs, tumbles, and sets the screen on fire with a face laden with an inexplicable child instinct—an image caught by verité cinematographer, Lance Acord, whose agile lens chases the young star though the film’s Australian landscape. Breath-taking visuals (only part of which are CGI) are accompanied by the sounds of whirring organs, shouting children, and whimsical percussion, a contribution of stark genius by Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Carter Burwell, film scorer extraordinaire.

While the “Wild Things” will be familiar from the imagery presented in the original children’s book by Maurice Sendak, the plot (adapted by Jonze and Dave Eggers) is strikingly more Freudian. In the book, Max is sent to bed without supper where he dreams up the land of the Wild Things to cure his boredom. The movie exposes Max as the attention-seeking son of a single mother and teenage older sister whose friends trample Max’s igloo. When Max’s mom (Catherine Keener) ignores his calls for her because she is entertaining a male guest (Mark Ruffalo), Max throws a tantrum and runs away, through the woods, and sails on an abandoned boat to where the Wild Things are, a precariously violent place of love where Max runs, plays and rules over the Wild Things as they unleash howls redolent of Walt Whitman.

Even in this dream-land where Max can be king, the Wild Things are quick to recognize he is not magical, can’t protect them from sorrow with his “sorrow-blocking shield,” and is insufficient to rule. Each of the large feathered, clawed, furry, and dirty monsters is characterized with aspects of the personalities of Max and his loved ones. Disappearing KW (Lauren Ambrose) represents his sister; his own feelings of rage, abandonment, vulnerability and love appear in Carol (James Gandolfini); the voice of his mom is echoed in Judith (Catherine O'Hara); and Max’s insecurity and loneliness are divided among Ira (Forest Whitaker), Alexander (Paul Dano), and Douglas (Chris Cooper). In a land as unruly as the child dreaming it up, Max learns to embrace even the most turbulent parts of himself, telling the Wild Things “I’m just Max” before sailing home. KW lets him know “I’d eat you up, I love you so,” Carol howls, and with that, he returns home.

The version of the film Jonze screened when it was first shot and edited in 2006 showed Max as bratty and the monsters as terrifying; children in the audience actually started screaming and crying. He made changes for the 2009 wide release which portray Max as being beautiful but troubled and the monsters as out of control but lovable. This 2009 release captures the very essence of what it is to be a child. As the previews promised, and as the movie beats on the heart like a drum: “There is something wild in all of us.”

Gia Vangieri is a Junior BU English Major.

Twilight Convo on Friday

2009-10-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Halloween, the English Club and Sigma Tau Delta present the second annual Twilight lecture at 10:00 in LCVA this Friday, October 30. Dr. Samantha Morgan-Curtis, Teacher of the Year at Tennessee State University, will continue her feminist rhetorical & literary analysis of the Twilight Saga by investigating Meyer’s “revision” of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (in New Moon), the birth of the Team Edward & Team Jacob dichotomy (which owes more to the Rowena-Rebecca pairing in Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe than it does to the supposed rivalry between Romeo and Paris), and how the first film “sanitized” what little “realism” the original novel gave us in terms of Bella’s socioeconomic realities. Dr. Morgan-Curtis will preview the film New Moon with visuals and images in keeping with the voluptuousness of Meyer’s Twilight Universe. Last year the room was packed, so get there early for a good seat.

Book Review: American Pastoral by Philip Roth

2009-10-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

by Aaron Briggs

American Pastoral, the Pulitzer Prize winning 1997 novel by Philip Roth, is an elegy to Seymour "Swede" Levov -- a former high-school athlete, childhood idol of his classmates, and hero to his community. Roth uses his recurring narrator, author Nathan Zuckerman, to imagine the tragic destruction of The Swede's happy, conventional, American-dream of an upper class life through the social and political turmoil of the 1960s; it's the story of a sudden slip from the "longed-for American pastoral" into "the fury, the violence, and the desperation of the counterpastoral - into the indigenous American berserk."

If you've never read Philip Roth, here's the quick introduction. Roth is known for his complex but readable prose - he writes with a huge vocabulary and an uncanny ability to "turn sentences around" (as he calls it in "The Ghost Writer"). His novel often blur the distinction between reality and fiction, and he frequently provocatively addresses Jewish-American issues and American identity. American Pastoral rightly feels like his masterwork because it does all of these in equal parts. The novel is rife with confrontation; it's written with an underlying tension that continues to the last heartbreaking page. It's a pleasure to read, but more so a joy to dissect.

American Pastoral is rich and dense with thematic undercurrent that gradually reveals itself along the course of its pages. In the hands of a lesser writer, this breadth of thematic territory could be overwhelming and scattershot, but Roth manages it effortlessly. It's his characters that shoulder the weight of the meaning; these are deep, relatable, archetypical characters, each bolstered with supple backstories rife with politics, economics, social implications, generational rebellion, and those quiet formative moments that shape a person for a lifetime. Ultimately, Roth paints a portrait of three generations of an American family, and the rest of the story shakes out like dust from between the pages.

However, it's equally easy to dismiss Roth's characters (especially Swede Levov) as exaggerations -- impossible monuments that, no matter how flawed, simply don't behave as normal people would behave. But that's the point -- it's important to remember the framing of the story: the entire narrative of the Levov family is created in the mind of Zuckerman, based on only three brief conversations. The story is so immersive, in fact, that there are points in the narrative that we're removed from Zuckerman and Nathan's voice becomes Seymour's voice; it becomes his story as much as it is ours. As effective and believable as it is, ultimately, the entire novel is a construction of the writer Zuckerman. (And Zuckerman is a construction of the writer Roth... so go ahead and add another line of thematic density to your list.)

In the end, Roth (and Zuckerman) use duality to illuminate the thin rifts that divide us: how two very different wars created two very different generations, how strikingly thin is the line between order and disorder (in family, country, self, etc), how differently subsequent generations view the American dream. And as I sit on the precipice of fatherhood, I couldn't help but read the novel as a dissection of how little control parents have in controlling the worldview of their children, and how much influence children have in the worldview of their parents.

Aaron Briggs is a 2003 BU English Alum and winner of the 2003 Ruby P. Treadway Award for Creative Writing. He lives in Nashville with his wife, fellow 2003 BU English Alum Ashley Briggs. They're expecting their first child -- Ansel Franklin Briggs -- in February of 2010.

Aaron works as a Strategist for web design firm CentreSource and a current graduate student in the Distance Education program of San Diego State University, where he is working toward a Master's Degree in Educational Technology. Aaron also works odd weekends at Grimey's New and Preloved Music and continues to write as frequently as possible.

Nashville Focus: Beth Pattillo Brings Jane Austen to the Southern Festival of Books

2009-10-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

Story by Allison Berwald

Nashville writer Beth Pattillo is one of the many successful authors who spoke at the Southern Festival of Books. On a very rainy Friday, an eager group of friends, fans, and fellow writers gathered to hear Beth and two other authors speak and read selections from their works. Beth read from her forthcoming novel Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, which although not a sequel, is linked in some ways to her previous novel Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Each work traces a heroine’s journey in discovering lost Austen documents and dealing with her own related personal issues, including romance, and includes a society called the Formidables dedicated to protecting Jane’s legacy and secrets. Beth has also written eight other novels, including two about the female minister Betsy and two about a ladies’ knitting society.

In the question and answer session following the readings, Beth Pattillo talked about how conferences and critique groups have been very helpful to her in developing her craft. She views feedback as a key part of the writing process, and she often gains significant insight into the threads and themes in her own writing after getting feedback from her editor. Beth also said that she likes to begin with her main character’s life falling apart, because then there is nowhere to go but up.

I am what Dr. Murray calls an “Austenmaniac,” so I very much enjoyed talking with Beth about Austen and England. I studied in London this summer and took a Jane Austen course, and Beth and I were thrilled to discover an amazing coincidence. She also studied in London during college at the same college as I did (when it had a different name) and lived in the dorm room directly across the hall from the dorm room I lived in! Needless to say, we chatted very excitedly about the school and the surrounding area in such detail as to convince ourselves that we truly stayed in the same place.

Beth and I spoke about how she got the ideas for her Austen stories. She said that there is so much that we do not know about the stories of women throughout history, including Jane Austen. Her novels play with the hypothetical situation of finding those lost parts of Jane’s story, specifically the majority of the letters Jane wrote to her sister Cassandra and the original manuscript of First Impressions, which later became Pride and Prejudice. Beth had previously written other historical romances set in the Regency period as well as contemporary stories. Her Austen novels combine the two elements, using a modern setting to explore Regency material and mysteries.

This dual identity of Beth’s novels allows them to appeal to a wider audience. The “Austenmaniacs” love all things Austen, of course, so a well-written novel in that genre will inevitably have a certain degree of success. Austen’s work seems to bear up even after being taken in many different directions, and Beth is happy to be a part of that. She also describes her books as “semi-Christian fiction.” Her publisher, Guideposts, publishes inspirational and Christian literature, but without strict guidelines such as required faith statements from authors that many publishers have. Her work is written from a Christian perspective but is not evangelical.

Beth Pattillo loves being able to travel around England as research for her books. She has been to many Austen-related sites over the years and found valuable experiences and resources there. In the bookshop at Chawton, the home at which Jane was most productive, she found a chronology of the Austen family members’ lives written by the editor of Jane’s letters that has been profoundly helpful in her writing. She also had to write fictional Austen letters for Jane Austen Ruined My Life, and she listened to audiobooks of Austen novels to get the feel of the rhythm and vocabulary of her writing. Beth continues to follow Jane Austen’s trail by traveling in England, reading her works, and writing about her. Through her novels, she hopes to provide readers with a painless way to read a biography of Austen and to encourage them to read and love Jane’s works.

Allison Berwald is a Senior BU English Major.

English Club Meeting Friday

2009-10-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

The English Club will be meeting on Friday, October 23, at 10:00 in WHB 209.

Southern Festival of Books: What’s All the Buzz About?

2009-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Story and Images by Cory Pavlinac

During the weekend of October 9-11, Nashville was the southern hub for literature and home to hundreds of loyal devotees to the art of the written word. Set between the columns of the War Memorial Auditorium, booths of publishing companies, libraries, and book sellers lined the plaza, while smoke from the barbecue grills wafted through the crowd, carrying with it an irresistible temptation.

With anywhere from five to ten authors speaking during the same hour, it was difficult to even make a decision as to who to see. Children’s authors included Shellie Braeuner with her book, The Great Dog Wash, as well as John Carter Cash (the son of country/folk legend, Johnny Cash) with his first crack at the genre, Momma Loves Her Little Son. Exuberant readers of all ages shuffled into the War Memorial Auditorium at noon, clutching books like The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie, and The Magician’s Elephant, in hopes of leaving with the signature of Kate DiCamillo.

Nonfiction and journalistic writing was represented with award winning authors like David Cullen, who has written extensively on the shootings at Columbine and various societal issues. Writers of scholarly books were present from universities across the nation, giving insight into writing memoir and illustrating the new methods of music journalism. While prose seemed to dominate the scene, poets Diann Blakely and Julie Kane tag teamed in a sultry discourse about jazz and Bourbon Street.

One writer I chose to hear was Joseph Kanon, an author of five novels including his most recent, Stardust, about the Diaspora of a small group of anti-Nazi citizens from the crumbling, post-war Germany to the glimmering paradise of Hollywood in the 1940s. Here was a Hollywood in its prime--“a town of movie stars, palm trees, swimming pools, back patios, and people who didn’t wear neck ties"--the home to an industry that was seeing more consumer activity than at any other time, past or present. During the war, some 85 million people were attending movies on a weekly basis, and Hollywood was becoming the playground for the rich and famous. So it makes sense for a downtrodden, poverty-stricken German escaping the Fascist regime of the Nazis to head to Hollywood. Why live anywhere else? Ironically, as Kanon pointed out, a lot of the German actors in this migration ended up auditioning and taking roles as Nazis in movies. But Kanon’s focus wasn’t so much on the sunny side of Hollywood but on the dark side. Movie executors came under heat for “harboring communists” and were forced into blacklisting the German immigrants in order to save face, their careers, and to keep from being federally persecuted. According to Kanon, “McCarthyism started before McCarthy, in Hollywood.” Stardust is meant to portray this time in Hollywood’s history through a murky lens; much like stardust gets in the way of seeing the cosmos clearly.

The event that created the most “buzz”, without a doubt, was Buzz Aldrin’s lecture at one o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The grandiose War Memorial Auditorium was filled with anticipation and an agitated murmur as elderly men festooned with war medals stretched their necks to catch any signs of life from the back stage door. Then the door opened slowly and before the snowy haired, space veteran could even show his face, the crowd burst into a tumultuous display of admiration. A hero had just entered the room. The highlight of Buzz’s speech was his on-stage exploration of the black hole of his life after returning from his legendary peregrination to the Moon. Much of the same story and sentiment found in his new book, Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon. The title of the book has literal and figurative meanings. It’s “a magnificent testimony to the progress of mankind” and a simultaneous nod to the uninhabitable characteristics of the Moon. The title also describes Buzz’s own magnificent opportunity of the Apollo mission and the desolation of a life steeped in depression and alcohol after returning. The lecture was not without some lighthearted astronaut humor, however, as Buzz joked chauvinistically about the true consistency of the Moon: “the Moon doesn’t have Swiss cheese on it, it has American cheese.”

Cory Pavlinac is a Junior BU English Major.

Shakespeare at Staunton

2009-10-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Story and Images by Michael Huff

This past weekend of October 9th-11th eleven brave students--along with Shakespearian scholars Dr. James Wells and Provost Marsha McDonald, and guests Dr. Bryce Sullivan and wife Beth--loaded onto what appeared to be a healthy charter bus bound for Staunton, Virginia. We were a motley crew of varied ages and disciplines – English, Accounting, Biology, and Theatre majors ranging from Freshman to Seniors. But then, some thirty miles from Staunton, our bus gave up the ghost. If only bus-engines responded to recitations, we would have been right on our way. Luckily, one scenic rest stop and a few bizarre taxi drivers later, we overcame the only notable trial of our trip and entered the lovely Staunton, Virginia for a weekend full of theatre and good company.

Staunton (pronounced “Stanton”) is a charming town where New England meets Appalachia. The Shenandoah Valley blushed with fall foliage, the Blue Ridge Mountains hemmed us in, and the light rain only served to cool the air and our humors for the exciting day-full of theatre to come. We were treated to a tour of The Blackfriars Theatre where we learned of its prestigious ancestry. The Staunton theatre is a recreation of one by the same name in Renaissance period London. The King’s Men, including William Shakespeare, used the original Globe theatre for their summer performances and the Blackfriars theatre for their winter performance. The original play-house was built within a former monastery, named Blackfriars for the black habits worn by its monks.

The resident theatre troupe originated as the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express in 1999 before changing their name to American Shakespeare Center in 2005 as their mission broadened. They now maintain one traveling troupe, one resident troupe and work year-round doing performances and workshops at the theatre. Collaborating with Mary Baldwin College in town, the theatre offers enhanced learning for the graduate MLit/MFA students in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature Performance, the only degree of its kind.

Along with its faithfulness to the original architecture, the new theatre is notable for continuing tradition of, as their slogan goes, “doing it with the lights on.” Like the original Blackfriars theatre, the players perform in universal lighting, lights set equally on the audience as on the players. This allows the players to direct their comments directly to audience members, or even to call them to interact. I had never experienced a play in this way, and can say that hearing King Henry IV give his rousing monologue--“So shaken as we are, so wan with care,/Find we a time for frightened peace to pant,/And breathe short-winded accents of new broils/to be commenced in strands afar remote,”--while looking person after person directly in the eye was powerful indeed.

The players preserve other traditions too. Before the play begins a couple of players perform a humorous pre-show. During the interludes the players stand in the balcony near the Lords’ chairs and perform contemporary folk and pop tunes, just as players did in the original Blackfriars theatre. I had never matched Jeff Tweedy’s verse with Shakespeare’s, but the players’ performance of the Wilco song “I’m Always in Love” in the interlude of Much Ado About Nothing proved a fun and appropriate match for the comedy.

The first night we were treated to a rarely performed piece of Restoration drama, George Villiers’s The Rehearsal. The play satirizes drama conventions of the time, featuring a harebrained playwright and his troupe rehearsing his newest work based on all the “new rules of writing” he has discovered, such as: one should begin and end the action of a play without ever revealing a plot, and most combustive, that there should be a dance at the end of each act. This meta-theatrical circus was rambunctious and hilarious, and as Drs. Wells and McDonald remarked, prefigured absurdist theatre some time before such notable absurdist playwrights as Samuel Beckett. The satirical criticisms made by the play were all the more relevant for the troupe’s inclusion of twenty-first century clownery, like a slow-motion battle sequence and a performance of Michael Jackson’s "Thriller."

We returned Saturday afternoon to see The First Part of King Henry IV, the second part of Shakespeare’s History tetralogy. Rarely performed, it was a pleasure to see, and upon polling the students was the overwhelming favorite. This may have been in part because many of us seized the opportunity to view this play from on-stage, making the action and drama especially palpable. The royal battles of wits were sharpened and sword-fights intensified when occurring just before our faces. “I had never seen a fight sequence quite like that on stage before,” said Crystal Gimesh, senior English Education major. ”All of the scenes that I was wondering how they would act out completely met my expectations and were even funnier at times,” said Michael Bailey, senior French Major, “One of my favorite scenes was when Prince Henry was messing with Francis the drawer who was torn between his duties - and any time Falstaff woke up with a hangover,” which was quite often.

Michael was not alone in his enjoyment of Falstaff. We were all seriously wooed by the all too lovable, doomed, and rotund clown played by the excellent James Keegan. Callie Compton gushed, “when he made his entrance, he touched my face!” And when Falstaff approached me with his giant belly during a battle sequence and requested my seat-cushion I was happy to provide it. The unique interaction the Blackfriar troupe has with its audience makes the experience especially memorable, which was only enhanced by sitting on stage for this performance.

Finally we ended with the comedic Much Ado About Nothing. The troupe’s production of the play was lighthearted and even slapstick at times. One difficulty with the text and production, as Dr. Wells proposed, is that the comedy is tripped by some near-tragic events in the play’s middle. After Hero’s apparent (but faked) death, it was only Christopher Seiler playing a bumbling and excited Dogberry that kept the play from sinking into complete tragedy before the conflicts’ resolution. The buffoonery made it more immediate, but at the sacrifice of some of the play’s ambiguity. Crystal offered her take: “I like Much Ado, but I thought of Benedick and Beatrice may have relied to much on physical comedy and made them less serious.”

Between plays we did have time to descend on the town. Some of us discovered the Darjeeling Tea Room, unique shops like the Once Upon a Time Clock Work, the Trinity Episcopal Church, and no shortage of relaxing coffee shops on the corners. Dinner together at Emilio's Saturday night offered some rousing conversation and one last hurrah before packing up to head home. I think I can speak for the group when I say it was an enjoyable and educational trip. I had never seen Shakespeare produced in the spirit of Blackfriar’s troupe, and I will certainly not soon forget how John Falstaff, the blimp, stole my seat cushion to fake his death upon.

Writing this from the bus ride home, saying goodbye to Virginia’s fall foliage and trusting that this new bus will be a more formidable vehicle than our first, we reflected on our experience together: “It was actually like a miniature vacation, getting to go see these plays and be charmed by the town” said Melanie Bond, freshman English major, and to any considering the trip next year, Callie said, "Certainly do it, it’s definitely worth the price and you’ll be in good company, both an educational and entertaining experience. You don’t have to be a Shakespeare connoisseur, or even to have been to many plays before to enjoy the experience.” So there you have it: plays, a lovely town, some stops at McDonalds to stay college kosher, and to top it off you get to meet Sir Falstaff.

Many thanks to Dr. Wells, Dr. Sullivan, Dr. McDonald, and all who made this trip possible.

Michael Huff is a Senior BU English Major.

Dr. Wells' Shakespeare Edition Published

2009-10-05T08:15:00.001-07:00

Dr. James Wells' New Kittredge edition of The Second Part of King Henry IV by William Shakespeare has been published by Focus Publishing. One review of the book says the book "is an exciting new edition, with a clear and lively introduction that succinctly captures the play's complexity and challenges," and that Dr. Wells' "discussion of the play's relationship with Henry IV, Part One is especially thoughtful, and his attention to performance and film history is extremely valuable." Congratulations, Dr. Wells!

Update: BU English Alum Nate Horst

2009-09-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

After graduating from Belmont in May 2003, I accepted an invitation to serve in Mali with the Peace Corps. I spent two years in a small village of 500 learning languages, building relationships, and attempting development projects for which I had little qualification to undertake. With the help and support of a very organized and motivated village, I managed to build a school, install a potable water pump, erect an agricultural storage facility, conduct maternity and infant health classes, and start a small tree nursery business.

One sentence makes it sound so smooth. It wasn’t. I stumbled and blundered my way to results that, in my opinion, were mostly positive. Development work is a complicated matter. There are consequences to consider, incentives to interpret, and politics to circumvent. But from the dizzying complexity comes a fundamental picture of heartbreaking absurdity and a profound sense that things do not have to be this way. For me, that sense became a motivating mantra. Things must not be this way.

After working for two years in the non-profit sector, I applied to graduate school to study international economics, finance and development. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the Johns Hopkins University School Advanced of International Studies in Washington, D.C. My focus has turned towards the potential of micro finance schemes to increase the access of the poor to basic financial services, a lack of which has proven to be a major obstacle to economic development.

I consider myself fortunate to have lived in a place like Mali, and to have experienced what life can feel like without the white noise of advertisements and instant information. But I also consider myself fortunate to have profited from so many advantages, a Belmont education being paramount. My training as an English major prepared me well for my coming career by teaching me how to communicate clearly, think creatively, and consider every possibility when searching for answers to complicated problems. I continue to take the lessons of those four years with me, in work and in life.

(a version of this story first appeared in the English Department Newsletter )

English Club Meeting on Friday

2009-09-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

This Friday at 10 in WHB 209. Lots of announcements and organizational issues to resolve (including figuring out when Bright Star is going to make it to Nashville so we can organize a field trip).

BU English Majors Launch Literary Journal

2009-09-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

This past summer, BU English major Logan Franks, along with Will Hoekenga and the recently graduated Jason Hardy, launched an online literary journal called Trapeze. We asked Logan to fill us in on the details.

So tell us how and when the idea for Trapeze originated.

At the end of a semester, mixed-feelings develop. There’s the sense of moving forward in life, but we also have the feeling of leaving behind a comfortable atmosphere. In writing classes, we can share our writings with a small group of people and become comfortable in the skin of a writer. The semester ends and we’re left with that feeling of, “What now? What do I do with my work? Do I keep writing?”

At the end of this past spring semester, we felt like there needed to be a place for people to continue to share their writing. The want to form a community-like atmosphere that extends beyond the classroom is what shaped the idea for Trapeze. We thought having a place to submit pieces and then also be able to read local writers’ works would encompass that feeling of community. We don’t want people to have to wonder, “What now?” We wanted to create a place that supports that feeling of living comfortably in the skin of a writer. Trapeze is a place that won’t disappear with the change of seasons, a place in which writers can feel comfortable and be among other writers.

Why an online journal, and what were your inspirations?

Trapeze is online simply because it’s easier to access and can encompass a wider audience. Online journals are also easier to manage than printed material because honestly, we’re college students and don’t have the funds or means to launch a printed journal.

We were somewhat inspired by the idea that we had never seen a student-run journal in this format before. We also were inspired by the idea that, in Nashville, songwriters have an endless amount of opportunities and places where they can join together. We wanted to create a similar support system for prose and poetry writers. We want Trapeze to be that support system, that community to give a reason to keep writing. Knowing other writers helps writers continue to write.

What, ideally, will result from publishing this journal?

Well, the website is set up to give writers in and around Nashville a means of sharing their work with each other and any other interested party that happens to be roaming around in cyberspace. It is also intended to help foster community among writers in the area. In the future, once the online community has been formed, we plan to organize and facilitate events among writers in Nashville (readings, discussions, etc.).

Why "Trapeze"?

The name Trapeze came from Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "A Coney Island of the Mind No. 15", which shows the poet as an acrobat who is "constantly risking absurdity and death," as well as Bob Dylan's claim in the '60s that he was not a poet, but a trapeze artist. Basically, we see this website as a place where writers can take risks and put their work out for all to see. We like to think the name encompasses both the danger and the beauty of doing so.

What kind(s) of submissions are you looking for, and how should people submit their work?

The types of works we are looking for are Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction, and Essays/Criticisms. We didn’t want to only accept “creative” pieces like poetry and stories so we wanted to add in the latter category. We want people to see their work published and we didn’t want to narrow their options if they feel more comfortable with academic writing. To submit pieces, we have a link on our website, www.trapezejournal.com to the Submissions page with the email address to use.

Last Two Events in the Symposium

2009-09-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon, BU English alum Ken Roberts will host a viewing and discussion of Sean Penn's 2007 film Into the Wild, the Christopher McCandless story, from 2:30 to 5 in LCVA 117.

Monday at 10:00 in MBC 100, Symposium organizers Dr. Annette Sisson and Dr. Andrea Stover will lead a panel discussion of what we learned at this year's very successful event!

Intern at Southern Inspired!

2009-09-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Professor Sue Trout) Tomorrow at 3 pm in room 107 of the Wheeler building, representatives from Southern Inspired magazine will be interviewing our English majors for internship opportunities. If you are attending, please bring your resume and a couple of writing samples. Needless to say, this is a great opportunity--we've never had a publisher come looking exclusively for our interns. Please don't let this opportunity pass you by. If you have not and are interested in coming by, please email sue.trout@belmont.edu by first thing in the morning--she has to give them an estimate of people coming.

If you are planning to come, take a few minutes to check out their website so that you will know what they are about.

Friday's Humanities Symposium Lineup

2009-09-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today the Humanities Symposium features a talk by Dr. Abigail Jahiel of Illinois Wesleyan University at 8:30; a panel discussion at 10:00 in the Troutt Theater featuring Mary Oliver, Janisse Ray, John Tallmadge, and Helen Atwan; a talk by Dr. Helen Shapiro of American University at 1:00; and two documentary films tonight at 7:30 in the Multi-Media Hall of the Bunch Library. For a full listing of events, click here.

Jam-packed Thursday at the Humanities Symposium

2009-09-17T03:21:00.000-07:00

Today's highlights include a nature walk this afternoon with Dr. John Tallmadge (3:30 at the Bell Tower); Janisse Ray on "Nature, Community, and the Life We Dream" (5:00, Bunch Library Multi-Media Hall); and a poetry reading by Mary Oliver (7:00, Belmont Heights Baptist Church). Find the complete schedule here.

Today at the Humanities Symposium

2009-09-16T08:36:00.001-07:00

Wednesday's events at the 8th Annual Humanities Symposium include a movement class run by Adrienne Young (11:00 at the Black Box Theater); “Seeds: A Story of Self-Cultivation” by BU English Alum Micah Stover (3:00 at the Leu Art Gallery in the Bunch Library); a talk by Dr. John Tallmadg, “Invisible Landscapes: Learning from Nature in the City” from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Bunch Library Multi-Media Hall follwed by refreshments in the Leu Art Gallery from 5:30-6:15; and “Religion, Politics, and Public Good: A Buddhist Perspective,” a talk by Dr. Peter Hershock of the East-West Center.

Today at the Humanities Symposium

2009-09-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's schedule at the Humanities Symposium includes lectures by BU English professors Dr. Doug Murray ("Landscape and National Identities") and Dr. Annette Sisson ("Nature and Conscience and Consciousness: The Pastoral Hero and the Sympathetic Imagination"). For a full schedule of Symposium events, click here.

Humanities Symposium Kickoff Lecture Named for Monteverde

2009-09-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

The School of Humanities has named the inaugural Humanities Symposium lecture for Dr. Maggie Monteverde, BU English professor and outgoing Associate Dean. Dr. Monteverde was presented a plaque commemorating the designation by this year's Symposium organizers, Professors Annette Sisson and Andrea Stover, on Monday morning in the Massey Board Room.

Dr. Monteverde then kicked off the Symposium with her lecture, "Reverdie: The Eternal Rebirth of the Human Spirit in Nature." It's been a big year for Dr. Monteverde, who was recently named Assistant Provost for International Education. Earlier in 2009, Dr. Monteverde was named Executive Director of the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (which is moving its offices to Belmont's campus) and won the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award. Congrats, Dr. Monteverde!

Today at the Humanities Symposium

2009-09-14T04:35:00.001-07:00

Monday's Humanities Symposium Events include the kickoff lecture by Dr. Maggie Monteverde ("Reverdie: the eternal rebirth of the human spirit in nature") at 10:00 in the Massey Board Room. Other BU English speakers today include Dr. Robbie Pinter (noon in the Massey Board Room), Dr. Danielle Alexander (4:00 LCVA 117) and a panel featuring Dr. Bonnie Smith (2:00 Massey Board Room). Come out and enjoy the "local" flavor of today's speakers!

Jordan Christy Packs 'em In

2009-09-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Jordan Christy, BU English alum and author of How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World (purchase here), packed Beaman A&B on Friday. Jordan read from her book, talked about how it came about, and answered questions from the audience.

Friday afternoon, she met with several English majors and faculty to talk about the nuts and bolts of publishing the book, including developing a readership and hiring agents and publicists, among other things.

Jordan emphasized 'starting small,' which I'll use to remind you that BU English is looking for people to write up Symposium events, Southern Festival of Books events, etc. It's a great place to get your 'clip' portfolio started!

Deadline Extended for Blackfriars Trip

2009-09-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

Dr. Wells is still looking for a few people to round out the bus going to Staunton, Virginia, on October 9-11. Participants will get to see Henry IV (Part one), Much Ado about Nothing and George Villiers’ The Rehearsal using practices approximating those original to Shakespeare’s theatre. The theatrical space itself is an attempt to recreate Blackfriars, Shakespeare’s private, indoor theatre (with some welcome modern allowances, such as seat cushions) where his company began performing plays in 1608. This is high quality theatre in a beautiful historical setting.

Price: $180 (CHEAP!) includes bus transportation, a double room (shared with one other person), reserved seat tickets for all three plays, a tour of the facilities. Meals are not included, but food is reasonable in town (a list and map will be included)

Make checks to Belmont University and turn them in to Dr. James Wells, Wheeler 200i, along with the application.

See the following URL for more details on Blackfriars and the plays:
http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/

Jordan Christy Convo, English Club Event This Friday

2009-09-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

This Friday, September 11, at 10:00 in Beaman A&B, recent Belmont graduate Jordan Christy reads from and discusses her new book, How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World, published in August by Hatchette Press. (There is PG Convo credit for this event!) At 2:00 on Friday in Wheeler 101, Jordan will talk to English Clubbers and other interested folks about how she took this idea from Dr. Hutchins' class to a published book with a tour and Today Show appearance!

Handbook Makes Debut at English Major Meeting

2009-08-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

On Friday, August 28, over 100 English majors packed LCVA 117 and heard about the following upcoming opportunities:

Carly Escue spoke about English Club/Sigma Tau Delta events and sponsored speakers for the fall, including Jordan Christy (Friday, Sept. 11) and Samantha Morgan-Curtis (October 30 in the second installment of what is now the Twilight Lecture Series!). The English Club will be discussing Toni Morrison's a mercy and Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping. Chris Pliny previewed Family Literacy Day for next Spring, which has taken on some exciting songwriting-inflected twists.

Professors Sisson and Stover previewed the upcoming Humanities Symposium September 13-21), and Professor Sisson read Mary Oliver's lovely poem "The Summer Day."

Several "road trips" were mentioned, including Professor Hutchins' study abroad trip to England over winter break, "Dickens and the Idea of Christmas"; Professor Wells' closer-to-home Blackfriars Theatre Trip, October 9-11; and also the Stratford Ontario trip in May (more details to come).

Professor Danielle Alexander, the new faculty sponsor for the Belmont Literary Journal sent out a call for editors and contributors.

Finally, Professor Curtis closed the meeting by handing out the first edition of the BU English Major Handbook (or "the Green book" as it quickly came to be called). A more detailed online version of the Handbook will be available soon, but the Green book has contact information and a who's who of who can help you in the English Department.

Have a great semester, English majors!

40/40 a Trip for BU English Major

2009-08-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Cory Carter, an English major with a Writing emphasis, was quoted recently in a Chronicle of Higher Education story about his participation in the "40 States in 40 Days" program. You can read Cory's blog about his experiences re-discovering America here.

Happy New (Academic) Year!

2009-08-26T13:57:00.001-07:00

The faculty and staff of the BU English Department wishes our majors a wonderful Fall Semester!

Remember that there will be a meeting of all majors and minors on Friday, August 28, in LCVA 117 (the Auditorium in the Art Building).

Job, Internship Opportunities

2009-08-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

First, bookfool.com, sponsors of the Tomato Arts Festival Haiku Contest, wants you to know that they are hiring. See the details of this position at http://bookfool.com/blog/2009/08/13/wanted-customer-care-fool-in-nashville-tn/.

And Claire Ploegman wants everyone to know that there are internship opportunities at _Southern Inspired_ magazine for staff writers. Contact Dr. Cox (the department Internship Coordinator) or Dr. Curtis for details.

"Inspired" Update : BU English Alum Claire Ploegman

2009-08-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Claire Ploegman won the Virginia M. Chaney Award as the outstanding English major in 2008. She was recently named Managing Editor of Southern Inspired Magazine.

Tell us a little about the magazine.

Southern Inspired Magazine: The magazine has been repeatedly described as a cross between Southern Living and Real Simple with a local twist. Besides the fact that the word "twist" irks me, I am happy being a part of this Southern Living/ Real Simple hybrid even when the articles are not my dream topics, because the vision is to build community, especially in the face of economic re-evaluation. The magazine is to cater to a span of incomes, glorifying thrift shops and the satisfaction that comes with DIY projects since hiring out has become expensive even for those who are still comfortable. Reinvention, recycling, making do, paying attention --- these are all quietly present in the magazine (I try to find any resonance I can will Bill McKibben's Deep Economy). So Read LOCAL. Those are the words I prefer to describe it. The magazine is also supposed to appeal to women, ages 25-75, and building an intergenerational community is important to me. I don't mind starting with their hobbies (even if gender expectations are used to determine said hobbies - I still stand by SAGE).

What do you do as the managing editor?

Managing Editor has been an interesting title for what I have been doing so far. Let me emphasize that this is a start up magazine.... which means any one job title is problematic. Honestly I have been flying in so many different directions -- ad sales, social representing/ hobnobbing, setting up interviews, photoshoots, finding distribution sites and delivering boxes of magazines, covering local events, interviewing freelancers of all kinds, and going absolutely broke. (But everyone is broke right now. It's a good time to be broke.) For this first issue, the title of managing editor came late in the game. It came because I am the senior member, nascent as the magazine is. It came as a pay voucher. It came out of proven ability, too, though there really was no hierarchy of copy-editors this time. I suppose I did manage the other editors and try to install method to the madness of figuring out drafting schedules and editing cycles.

What do you like most about your job?

I am never doing the same thing two days in a row. (Although sometimes I wish I had more writerly haven days...) Also, it's a small shop, and I have a surprising amount of say in article topics and presentation, so I can make sure I evolve an assignment to a place where I will enjoy writing it.

Were there experiences during your time at Belmont that helped you prepare for what you're doing now, or is this pretty much a whole new world?

Well, I hate Associated Press style. Being an MLA literature major prepped me for that feeling. A lot of experiences at Belmont have been invaluable. I was a design communications minor, so that trained my eye and opinions when I function as a layout/ design editor. But that minor came directly out of Book Editing with Dr. Alexander. Book Editing helped me realize I could swirl all my interests into one career, and helped me realize I need the swirl -- I don't think I could take a job that was all copy editing.

I almost wish I'd done some pre-press, dead end ad sales while I was still in college, though. I used to get really wigged out about class presentations, and I think those initial ad sales helped me get over it --- especially because when it comes to literature presentations, I at least had something I wanted to say (not, "Can I have your money? NO? Really? Okay.").

Also, creative writing workshops really helped me learn how to work in groups of very different writers. Editing can turn so invasive, insultingly invasive. You can tell when people have not refined editing rapport, let alone realized they need to consider its existence. Write your own article; edit the others.

Anything else you'd like faculty, alums, or current students to know about you and what you're doing?

I have plans to move into an efficiency apartment in September.

Program Reminder: Jordan Christy on The Today Show

2009-08-12T05:37:00.001-07:00

Remember to tune in Thursday, August 13 during the Kathie Lee & Hoda hour, as Jordan will be promoting her book, How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class & Grace. Jordan will also be having a signing/release party at Davis-Kidd (Green Hills location) on August 27. And of course she'll be here for a couple of sessions on September 11. Set your DVRs!

What Drives Authors? You Do!

2009-08-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Honors Director Devon Boan): As you've probably noticed, the Southern Festival of Books is just around the corner again and so I'm beginning to organize volunteers again who might be willing to provide rides to and from the airport for authors. This seems like a great opportunity for our English majors who might want to spend 30-45 minutes with an author picking his or her brain about writing and publishing (not to mention the chance to network a little with someone already established).

I had a great time last year talking with Billie Letts about Tracy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play and the challenges of being a writer from Oklahoma, as well as with David Wroblewski and his interesting story about getting Edgar Sawtelle published, his MFA experience, and the Oprah conversations.

The festival is scheduled this year for the weekend of Oct. 9-11, and authors might start coming in as early as a day or two before that. I imagine they'll be staying at the Sheraton again this year, so it’s quite easy to drop them off or pick them up. If you would be willing to help, email me your available days and times and I'll put you with an author or two for the weekend. If you have any questions, call me at 460-6397 or email me at devon.boan@belmont.edu.

Poetry Stand at the Tomato Arts Festival

2009-08-05T09:42:00.001-07:00

Please plan to come visit the Poetry Stand, which will be set up near the Art and Invention Gallery in East Nashville's Five Points district from 10 to 4 on Saturday, August 8, as part of the Nashville Tomato Art Festival! The festival itself promises to be just as much fun as always, with food, contests, music, art, and more. With all this plus the poetry stand, how can you resist?

Special note: **Volunteers** are also needed for the Poetry Stand on Saturday. If you can come provide your poetic talent for a 30-minute or 1-hour slot, please let Dr. Danielle Alexander know (danielle.alexander@belmont.edu). Otherwise, drop by, say hi, and get a special souvenir tomato-festival poem!

Special special note: Be sure to be at the main stage at Five Points at 2:00 when the winners of the Haiku Contest will be announced by Eileen Fickes!

Humanities Symposium Program Finalized

2009-07-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the hard work of Professors Annette Sisson and Andrea Stover, the finalized program for the 8th Annual Humanities Symposium is available here. Participants include Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver and memoirist and environmental activist Janisse Ray. Set aside the dates now!

Rock Operatically!

2009-07-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Harwell, BU M.A. alum and Artistic Director of Nashville In Motion in collaboration with the Peter Moon Band, invites you to an ENCORE performance of FIX/what's your monkey at the Belcourt Theater August 15th, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. This performance is brought back by audience demand to see a longer, extended version of the rock opera.

Jennifer choreographed this event as well as co-developed the story, and hopes the attention the rock opera is getting will enable them to take it on the road. Get your tickets early!

Haiku Contest Deadline Fast Approaching!

2009-07-28T10:29:00.001-07:00

The Haiku Contest
Deadline approaches quickly;
Submit ripe verse now!

BU English Call for Writers

2009-07-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

BU English is seeking writers for articles to be posted on the blog (like this one). If you are an alum, write up what you're doing and send it to me at david.curtis@belmont.edu. If you are a current grad or undergrad and would like to add to your published writing portfolio, there are several events about which we'll need write-ups, from visiting speakers to the Humanities Symposium and the Southern Festival of Books and more. Or if you're doing something for your internship that you'd like to write about or promote, we can do that, too. Email me, call me at 460-6307, or come by my office (Wheeler 200-E) to talk to me in person.

English Majors Meeting August 28

2009-07-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

On Friday, August 28, there will be a mandatory meeting of all undergraduate English majors at 10:00 in LCVA 117. Please put this event on your calendars for the Fall!

Program Note: English Major on Today Show

2009-07-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here's an early program note: Jordan Christy will be on the Today show - the Kathie Lee & Hoda hour - on August 13, promoting her book, How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class & Grace. Jordan will also be having a signing/release party at Davis-Kidd (Green Hills location) on August 27. And of course she'll be here for a couple of sessions on September 11. Set your DVRs!

Hot Tomato Haiku Contest

2009-07-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

English major Eileen Fickes, who is interning at Bookfool.com this summer, wanted everyone to know about the Hot Tomato Haiku Contest, going on from now until July 31. You may submit up to 10 tomato-related Haikus in several different categories. Winners will be invited to read their poems onstage during the Tomato Art Fest Award Ceremony in East Nashville on August 8. For details, click here.

If you want to try a few out, use the comments section below!

P-O-E-T-H-O-N

2009-07-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

(submitted by Dr. Danielle Alexander)

Hope your summers are going well and that you're surviving the heat.

The Nashville Poethon is a fundraiser for a spoken-word group in Nashville (Youth Speaks) who's trying to get to Chicago later in the summer for a large spoken-word poetry festival. Some Belmont students have already been working with these folks and it seems to be a great group. I have signed up to lead a half-hour of the Poethon (I'll be reading Oulipean poets and leading some interactive Oulipean word-games). It's going to be a lot of fun, and the Poetry Stand will be in evidence.

Let me know if I can answer any questions about this event. Meanwhile, enjoy the long sunny days!

New English Majors, Vol. 7

2009-07-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

All of our new English majors not introduced in Volumes 1-6 will be coming at you in a special August edition!