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Original drawing of a family with patched clothing approaching the White House.

This creative thesis will begin with an introduction to the idea of creative nonfiction and will also present a short collection of creative nonfiction stories. The creative body of the thesis will consist of short stories taken from the author's own life that center around the common theme of family, focusing especially on the author's role as a big sister in a family of nine children. Following these short stories, the conclusion of the thesis will briefly consider the value of personal stories like these in the larger scheme of literature. For those unfamiliar with the genre, this thesis hopes to provide a brief introduction while also presenting five stories for the enjoyment of those interested in creative nonfiction and those who will only read this thesis because they are related to the author.

Mental illness in a family can be very destructive and the church must endeavor to meet the needs of these families. The stigma associated with mental illness hinders most people from sharing their struggles and needs. Often those who suffer with a mental illness are not embraced by the church. The project will include a survey of church leaders, members, and affected families. Acquired information will provide an understanding of the problems families face and what leaders will need to be of assistance. The goal is to support these families in functioning better in the church and in society. Information from the Internet, books, magazines, and scripture will also be included. The project will seek to inspire church leaders and members to be understanding of the challenges facing these families.

Before he stood the test of time, William Shakespeare had to survive the fire of the early modern marketplace. The surviving records indicate that Shakespeare was quite successful, not only artistically but also financially. In his home of Stratford-upon-Avon, he owned an impressive house, New Place, as well as significant amounts of arable land (Greenblatt 330). Meanwhile, he also became a part-owner in the Globe and Blackfriars theaters (Greenblatt 368). To accumulate such funds, Shakespeare had to write plays that would sell tickets; plays that would intrigue audiences and keep them coming back for more. Thus, he must have had an impressive understanding of how to entertain the public of early modern England; he must have been acutely aware of the social codes of his time and his audience's desires both to see social norms represented and to see them challenged. My readings of Shakespeare's early histories, comedies, and tragedies up to and through the midpoint of his career, Hamlet, suggest Shakespeare was particularly attuned to his society's assumptions about, and tensions surrounding, father-daughter and father-son relationships and was profoundly skillful in representing these. With increasing daring and subtley, he traces a fine, wavering line between conventional, reassuring representations of gender and familial relations of the time and provocative, unconventional ones.

Discussion of the family in today's society.

The Crowe Family Papers includes materials relating to the life of John Finley Crowe, Hanover College, the Presbyterian Church, and the Crowe Family, dated 1811-1948. The collection contains business and family correspondence, historical accounts, journals, sermons, lecture notes, and photographs. Topics discussed throughout the collection include God, faith, Hanover College business, Presbyterian business, slavery, family, 19th century social customs, family dealings and workings. Some highlights of the collection include the following: John Finley Crowe's 'History of Hanover College;' John Finley Crowe's family biography; John Finley Crowe's sons' Civil War journals.