In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley confronts the sublimity of nature through the narratives of Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein. According to Edmund Burke’s Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, “Whatever is in any sort terrible…is a source of the sublime; that is, it is productive of the… Continue reading Sublimity of Frankenstein
To the Moon
Her tapping feet, her gentle sway, to blues: Skyward bound, drawing closer to the moon. She is her constellation and her muse. Louisiana blues, they swing in tune. Their bodies swing like pendulums and sway In tune, the pulse and rhythm of the blues. The sun shall rise with light to break the day,… Continue reading To the Moon
Sage
Some send their prayers in smoke and open air. In that case, all it takes is grass and sage. And so, I write a poem as a prayer. We set the sage to flame and with great care, To follow the traditions of great age. We send our prayers in smoke and open air.… Continue reading Sage
Fracture
He promised to meet me at baggage claim. That was before. Six months later, I find my daisy-patterned luggage on my own and depart the airport hand-in-hand with souvenirs that I’ll keep. He drove me to the airport. We embraced each other in his car. He clung to me as if it was the last… Continue reading Fracture
Sugar, butter, flour: Waitress review
Usually when I write reviews, it’s about books. After reflecting on my manifesto, I opted to try my hand at theater review. I had the pleasure of seeing The Waitress by Sara Bareilles starring Stephanie Torns as Jenna and Jason Mraz as Dr. Pomatter. I like to be surprised by shows, so I steered clear… Continue reading Sugar, butter, flour: Waitress review
Manifesto for Oral Literacy
Storytelling and language are simultaneously cultural and cross-cultural. G.K. Chesterton states that “Literature is a luxury, fiction is a necessity.” All cultures tell stories and language is core to humanity, but various cultures tell stories in diverse ways and have unique applications of language. For example, Western culture is one that has traditionally valued written… Continue reading Manifesto for Oral Literacy
Poetry Workshop with Immigrant Students
Every semester, Messiah College hosts a retreat called the RISE retreat to inspire these students who are children of immigrants and refugees by introducing them to higher education. The theme of this semester’s retreat was creativity, so some of my peers and I planned a poetry workshop for the students. The workshop began by reading… Continue reading Poetry Workshop with Immigrant Students
Femininity Lost
Eve is the primary representation of femininity in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. There are other feminine characters, such as Sin, as well as concepts or objects given feminine characterization, such as light and the earth. Given the Biblical account of creation and Milton’s historical and cultural context, there is little reason, literary or otherwise, for… Continue reading Femininity Lost
Two Stories of Oppression in “Our Nig”
As the first African-American woman novelist, Harriet Wilson wrote in the shadow of two intersecting oppressions: racism and sexism. In the title page of her roman à clef Our Nig, she offers an alternative title: “Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, in a Two-Story White House, North. Showing that Slavery’s Shadows Fall Even… Continue reading Two Stories of Oppression in “Our Nig”
SoDak Must-Sees
Living on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, I am only a few minutes from the Badlands and a little over an hour from the Black Hills. I recently got the chance to explore both beautiful national parks, as well as some other places that have captured my heart. Here are just a few… Badlands… Continue reading SoDak Must-Sees
Kelly Webber 