Keywords

fiction, short stories, Gothic, domesticity, contemporary fiction, creative writing

Abstract

In the Walls is a collection of short and flash fiction that uses gothic and speculative elements to explore isolation, identity, gender roles, and experiences of women, including pressures of conformity and the persistent draw of the domestic. In “Poltergeist,” a scorned ghost discovers her supernatural abilities when her husband brings home a new woman. “Home For Sale,” an experimental story structured as a Zillow listing, contains the tale of a housewife’s psychological unravelling amid paranormal encounters in her family’s new home. The titular story, “In the Walls,” focuses on a woman who attempts to conform to a homemaker role but instead hides her failures within the walls of her decrepit house. The flash portion of this collection, interspersed with the short stories, delves into similar themes: a teenager doesn’t recognize herself in any photos her friend takes in “Girls in Pictures,” a daughter helps care for her sick house in “Homesick,” and rumors about a young girl eating everything from cows to stars abound in “Hunger.” Through speculative conceits, experimental forms, and aspects of the gothic genre, In the Walls investigates the lives of women, and how expectations have evolved in contemporary society.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Schwartz, David

Degree

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

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

English

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Identifier

DP0053150

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