19th Century Gothic Inspiration: Investigating the Next Generation of Poes

The objective of my study is to examine specific works by Edgar Allan Poe that best emulate his literary obsession with insanity and the grotesque, arguing that these elements of his literature serve as the source of inspiration for many 20th and 21st century gothic literature writers. Two of Poe’s poems that will be analyzed and critiqued include, “The Sleeper” which was originally published in 1831 and “The Raven” published in 1845. There will also be two of Poe’s shorter fiction pieces that will be analyzed and critiqued, which include, “Berenice” published in 1835 and “The Black Cat” which was published in 1843. When discussing the development of Poe’s earlier Gothic literature to his more current works, Andrew Smith suggests in his piece, Victorian Gothic Death, that, “there is either a view that the corruption of the body can be transcended (perhaps most clearly typified by the ghost story), or that there is the horror of dead undead bodies (as in the vampire, for example). However, there is a consistent theme which aligns images of death with models of subjectivity…” (Smith 159). The specific elements of death within Poe’s literature that Smith analyzes are both recognized as common death related themes within more contemporary gothic literature as well. This knowledge indicates the idea that Poe still has a heavy influence on 20th and 21st century writers. The three 20th century gothic writers that will be discussed in my study include Mary Wilkins Freeman and her short story published in 1903, “Shadows on the Wall,” H.P. Lovecraft and his short story published in 1925, “In the Vault,” and finally Stephen King’s short story published in 1972, “Suffer the Little Children.” An aspect of Poe’s writing that is also a familiar theme within 20th century gothic literature is violence. As J. Gerald Kennedy notes in his work, A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe, “…a crucial component of American identity, the ‘internal flaw of violence’ has been traced…to the frontier ethos of standing one’s ground and meting out personal justice…If Poe prefers European settings and avoids explicitly nationalistic subjects, his tales nevertheless render in graphic detail the quick American impulse to violence” (Kennedy 5). When making the connections of Poe’s initial creations within gothic literature to more contemporary gothic writing, it is indicating that the themes revolving around the corruption of a body, dead yet undead bodies, and impulsive violence are vastly present. Kennedy continues his theory of Poe being the landmark of gothic literature by making the claim that, “Poe anatomizes the psychology of revenge, flaunts atrocity, and depicts the recrudescence of our national ‘internal flaw” (Kennedy 5). This accusation thus suggests the idea that any work containing these concepts that were written after Poe’s publications, were subsequently inspired by Poe. The implications I have made based on my study are important as they directly correlate to the increase of gothic literature over the past few centuries. Although my Thesis focuses directly on Poe’s inspiration over other writers, his work has also had literary influence on musical lyrics, films, and television shows; implying that Poe has been an inspiration to many styles of contemporary artists in the later centuries. Understanding the level of persuasion that Poe’s work has had on how other authors choose to write their gothic literature suggests just how important and powerful Poe is within American literary history

Policy Implementation Strategies: State Education Policy Influence on Student Diversity in Dual Credit Programs

This research consisted of a qualitative study grounded in policy implementation theory aimed to discover how different education policy implementation strategies influence student diversity in dual credit programs in Indiana. This study intended to illuminate the policies, people, and places that shape how implementation unfolds and how interactions among them help to explain implementation outcomes within Indiana dual credit partnerships. 83% of Indiana higher education institutions accredited through the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) or the Dual Credit Accreditation Program (DCAP) participated in a survey and individual interviews. Results concluded that state education policies do influence program procedures, but they may not have as great of an influence on student diversity within dual credit programs as education policymakers may expect. Some state education policies directly relate to dual credit programs, such as the HLC dual credit educator credentialing requirements and the full dual credit tuition waiver for students that qualify for Indiana’s Free and Reduced Lunch program. However, others may be influencing dual credit program procedures more indirectly. Recommendations of practice for dual credit administrators and other school leaders would be to collect specific demographic data from dual credit enrolled students to be stored and evaluated on annual and longitudinal basis

The Influence of Edgar Allan Poe on Contemporary Gothic

The purpose of this research is to examine specific works by Edgar Allan Poe that best emulate his literary obsession with insanity and the grotesque, arguing that these elements of his literature serve as the source of inspiration for many contemporary gothic artists. When analyzing 20th and 21st century gothic artists such as authors Mary Wilkins Freeman, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, singer Rob Zombie, and filmmaker Kevin Williamson, striking similarities to Poe’s work are discovered. Although most research focuses primarily on Poe’s inspiration over other writers, this study researches his literary influence in a variety of artistic outlets; implying that Poe has been an inspiration to many styles of contemporary gothic and horror artists in the later centuries. Understanding the significant inspiration that Poe’s work has on how other artists present their gothic pieces suggests just how big of an impact he is within American art history and how we can predict that he will continue to have significant influence in the centuries to come

Effects of Teen Pregnancy on the Mother\u27s Education

It has been noted that the effects of teen pregnancy on the mother are numerous. Majority of the time the mother is the sole provider and care taker of the child, resulting in less time for the mother to pursue her own educational goals. The purpose of this research is to analyze the various higher education institution support programs – or lack thereof – that are available to mothers who experienced teen pregnancy. The most applicable support program that mothers request is affordable childcare. This study will conduct research to gather information on the various experiences that teen mothers have with on-campus childcare services. Research will also be conducted on other programs that higher education institutions currently have in place for mothers along with their obtainability and effectiveness. Additional potential interventions will also be addressed to offer assistance in the enrollment and retention of teen mothers as students in higher education

Chaos within the Humanities: The Postmodern Conundrum

The postmodern condition is a chaotic and convoluted one. It’s labyrinthian nature presents an awfully rigorous analysis for those who possess even extraordinary mental faculty; which those responsible for postmodernism’s foundational texts clearly possessed. For this reason I will define postmodernism strictly in terms of its relationship with academia, specifically the humanities. Within the scholarly works of the humanities is where one can find the most pernicious qualities of postmodernism. This presents a problem, one which I intend to present and contend with; as well as establish the importance of understanding what the postmodern condition truly is. Here within the contents of this paper I will build upon the works of scholars such as Alan Sokal and Jordan B. Peterson. I seek to discuss and portray the decrease in enrollment and academic quality of the humanities. The postmodern tenets of deconstruction, denaturalization, and the essential claim that everything is a power struggle are disastrous for academia. The application of deconstructive analysis within academia has led to a dulling of academic work. The deconstructive insistence on total linguistic relativism and gross over-representation of subjective reality are radical ones; therefore a damper to the quality of work accomplished within the humanities. Furthermore, postmodernism’s insistence upon denaturalizing hierarchies and that all things in life are based on power, detract from academic endeavors. These induce an emotive and activist state amongst scholars instead of a traditionally academic one. Such qualities not fit for the post-secondary have been expressed through instructors, academic journals, and the humanities as a whole; permeating throughout the political landscape. As a result we have borne witness to a decrease in scholars going into the humanities proportionally, and a vast majority of Humanities papers never receiving a single citation

Gender Differences in the Utilization of Transformational Leadership by Community College Senior Administrators

As enrollment of more women than men in higher education rises, more equitable representation of the women in higher education administrative positions is necessary. This is especially important in community colleges as the impending retirements of over 90% of current community college presidents is an opportune time to diversify the community college presidency. The purpose of this study is to examine the personal and professional characteristics of men and women senior community college leaders and how these leaders utilize transformational leadership. The researchers used a demographic questionnaire to collect information on the personal, professional, and educational backgrounds of senior community college leaders and the Leadership Practices Inventory-SELF to measure transformational leadership. Researchers electronically distributed 2,711 surveys to senior community college administrators and received 656 useable responses. Results yielded that there were differences in self-reported utilization of transformational leadership practices between men and women. Furthermore, the results suggested differences in participation in professional development opportunities and graduate education. The researchers hope to utilize this information to further advocate for equitable practices in developing senior community college leaders

Global Leadership

It is evident that with the growth and development of our world, global leadership is becoming more important and more relevant in a variety of organizational platforms and political agendas. The purpose of this study is to discover and review what it means to lead globally. How an individual becomes successful within this leadership role is predicted through researching the most important competencies and characteristics of effective global leaders. An original intervention was also constructed to prove that there are a variety of strategies that can be implemented to better educate, coach, and train future leaders to be more prepared to lead with a global mindset. Higher education programs are one of the most applicable intervention strategies for developing future global leaders because the programs can be guided through focused curriculums and training methods taught by trained and experienced individuals in the field of leadership. Global leadership programs need to value transparency, authenticity, collaboration, action, and integrity as leaders will be working closely with individuals of various cultures and backgrounds. A primary focus of the higher education global leadership programs will be to immerse the more senior students into a corporation that communicates directly with diverse populations so that they are gaining first-hand experience as they near the completion of the program. It is vital to the success of the programs that students are not only educating themselves about diverse cultures and leadership but that they also have the opportunity to practice these skills in a controlled environment – such as working alongside the leaders of global corporations through internship-like positions