Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

English, Philosophy

Advisor(s)

Jennifer Moxley

Committee Members

Laura Cowan, Hao Hong, Kirsten Jacobson, Kathleen Quirk

Graduation Year

May 2021

Publication Date

Spring 5-2021

Abstract

This project, entitled the wall occupies a space too, is a creative exploration of the self and the surrounding world. Poetry has been a way for me to explore my thoughts and feelings in order to better understand myself, and to share my perspective and experiences with others. Moreover, it has been a way for me to express my feelings and momentarily free myself from the chains of society by recognizing and cultivating my relationship with the natural world. Much like Anne Sexton’s and Sylvia Plath’s work, because of this focus on the self and in revealing and admitting personal thoughts and feelings, most of the poetry in this manuscript is confessional. I conclude this thesis with a brief exploration of how poetry can be used as a therapeutic practice. Writing confessional and lyric poetry has been helpful for me insofar as improving my mood and seeing things from a more positive point of view. Indeed, generally, so long as one focuses their writing on a real event and writes about it in a narrative form, it can help improve their mood or mental state (Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999).

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