A definitive history of all the things I like (and some I hate): selections from a nonfiction collection
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Samantha O'Brien (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Jeremy Jones
Abstract: “A Definitive History of All the Things I Like (And Some I Hate)” is a nonfiction collection, where each essay is about various things that have had a severe impact on my life, or at least the things I’ve been obsessed with over the years. I am interested in exploring obsession and pop culture and the relationship I have with it. I’ve always been really interested in pop culture and the history of the things that I’m interested in, like boybands or the Muppets. These essays will be personal, though I will be including some research as I go into the history of each pop culture obsession. However, I’m not only interested in exploring my relationship with pop culture but the relationship that the masses have with it. Pop culture and obsession is something that is treated negatively or engages in lots of negative stereotypes that I seek to change. I want to not only celebrate nostalgia, but also create positive associations with pop culture and fandom. Throughout this collection I will be discussing the “history” of various obsessions of mine—books, movies, tv shows, music, and general Stuff—along with my positive association with it. Along the way, I will also be exploring the negativity that comes with being interested in pop groups or having a lot of nostalgic toys, along with more personal, harder to talk about moments surrounding these obsessions in my life.I’m drawing inspiration from works that I feel not only represent a love of pop culture, but also writing about your love of something or your hate of something. Ross Gay’s “Book of Delights” features small essays in which Ross Gay features one thing that he enjoyed about the particular day that he writes the essay on, whether that was a conversation he had with his wife or a moment he shared with a city bus driver. Sei Shonagon’s “Hateful Things” is purely about things that the author dislikes, and often the emotional impact it has on her. Elena Passerello’s “Space Oddity” discusses how humanity’s love and faith in popular singing is so intense and uplifting that they were willing to send Johnny B. Goode on a record into space. Each of these pieces explores personal moments and personal relationships to these moments, and that is what I hope to achieve with this nonfiction collection.
A definitive history of all the things I like (and some I hate): selections from a nonfiction collection
PDF (Portable Document Format)
554 KB
Created on 7/1/2022
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
- Keywords
- nonfiction, personal essay, pop culture
- Subjects
- Creative nonfiction
- Essays
- Popular culture
- Autobiography