Keywords

creative nonfiction, essays, mother, daughter, fragility, body image

Abstract

Niña de Cristal | Girl of Glass is a collection of essays focusing on how emotional sensitivity and identity converge through several lenses, but primarily through a mother-daughter relationship. In the title essay, "Niña de Cristal," the narrator's mother accuses her of being too fragile, a girl made of glass, and the narrator must contend with the instances in her life that caused the fragility. The first section explores generational trauma through lyrical essays about the narrator's separation from her family after her immigration to the U.S. from Uruguay. In "Daughter Language," the glossary form showcases her family's difficult history and the ways that language kept them connected despite the distance. The second section investigates the narrator's feelings on body image and desire. In "Body's Very Good Day," the narrator perceives herself as just a body and unpacks the detriments of how her upbringing emphasized self-image. Through the "I have a dead dog…" flash essays, the third section invites readers to see how the narrator experiences the pain of absence and grief after the death of her childhood dog. The fourth section details the narrator's struggle as a caretaker during her mother's battle with cancer. "the doctor says i must milk her body" leans into fantastical elements that highlight the chaos and absurdity of being powerless over a serious illness. The collection ends with "In Memory of The Perfect Body," which shows the lingering effects of knowing that her mother, the person she loves most, is also fragile. Niña de Cristal | Girl of Glass is a collection that acts as a mirror, demonstrating how the narrator and her mother's emotional sensitivities reflect each other.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Hurt, Rochelle

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

English

Degree Program

Creative Writing

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

DP0028386

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028386

Language

English

Rights

In copyright

Release Date

May 2029

Length of Campus-only Access

5 years

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Campus-only Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until May 2029; it will then be open access.

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