Come, Set a Spell: A Novel in Stories

<p>Come, Set a Spell: A Novel in Stories, centers on the lives of the women of one Kentucky family across several generations. Some of the characters are gifted with the innate, magical abilities associated with Appalachian “wise-women,” a kind of magic that is inextricably linked to the natural world around them. These folk magic practices and beliefs impact all of the characters in different ways. However, the most crucial themes and influences on the lives of these women do not arise from the presence of the magical; instead, their stories are shaped by the ties of family, and family legacy. Each story stands as a complete work, focusing on one or more of the several main characters—sisters Laurel and Heather, their mother, Rose, and their oma (grandmother), Linnea—yet also serves to build a larger narrative arc across the novel as a whole. With careful attention to the importance of setting, and the unique attributes of the magical-realism style, the novel captures a few small facets of the rich traditions of regional folklore that continue to influence the cultures and communities of rural Kentucky/Appalachia. Through an exploration of the lives and voices of these characters, the narrative illuminates the bonds of family, and all its inherent burdens and blessings—its magic. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English and Theatre

Grantor dc:publisher

Eastern Kentucky University

Year

2016

Author dc:creator

• Bredar, Ansley M.

• Fiction

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Ansley M. Bredar

Repository record dc:identifier

https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/345

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:encompass.eku.edu:etd-1343