Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Fine Arts
Major
Creative Writing
Date of Defense
4-19-2021
Graduate Advisor
John Dalton
Committee
Shane Seely
Tola Abraham
John Dalton
Abstract
“Rabbit Head” is a collection of linked short stories set within the confines of a parochial K-12 school. The stories deal with themes of human quirkiness and eccentricity, and how academic institutions shape people and their relationships. In the opening story “Rabbit Head,” a school administrator harasses teachers with emails and eventually, in her relentless pursuit of safety, falls apart and is institutionalized. In “Leonard” a music teacher grapples with annoying administrators and budget constraints. “Judy,” involves an unconventional teacher facing off with the administrator from “Rabbit Head,” after experiencing perceived bullying. “Shelter in Place and Pray!” examines how different characters experience a pandemic year. “Jane” is about a teacher who fills in for an absent administrator, thereby helping her to empathize with the absurdity of educational leadership. “DGAF” follows students and teachers as they better try to understand one another through the experience of a senior class retreat.
Recommended Citation
Ervin, Maggie, "Rabbit Head" (2021). Theses. 414.
https://irl.umsl.edu/thesis/414