| abstract |
Acts of Symbiosis is a multi-genre memoir. It's a compilation of poetry, personal essays, and letters written in the first-person. It begins with a poem Acts of Symbiosis and is then grouped into four Acts. This memoir has a chronology to it; however, it does not maintain a true linear continuum. Rather, it reflects a psychological journey, one that begins with the earliest memories and then evolves according to how the author came to understand impactful occurrences in her life. The main theme of this memoir is relationships between the author, the narrator, and others, nature, and herself. The foci are exploring these relationships and seeking understanding.
Acts of Symbiosis is prefaced by a scholarly paper that defends the multigenre memoir. Central to the defense is the assertion that an author's freedom with form can enable her truth and her ability to create a deliberate experience for her reader. The paper looks closely at style, voice and tone, as they relate to the personality of the writer, and focuses on how the writer achieves style on the page. The paper explores a variety of works. These works include memoirs, poetry, personal essays, and letters, which span the modern, post-modern, and contemporary periods in literature. Franz Kafka, Flannery O'Connor, Joan Didion, Haven Kimmel, Claudia Rankine, and Kwame Alexander are among the writers whose works are discussed. In addition, the paper includes scholarship on genre from writers Sven Birkerts, Phillip Lopate, and Amy Maupin.
This project grew from an in-class assignment ten years ago in a course offered through the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies at Drew University and has evolved into dissertation that both informs and seeks self-reflection. Acts of Symbiosis is meant to be a source of education and human connection.
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