{"id":{"repo_id":"mo-state","oai_identifier":"oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1593"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mo-state/oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1593","repository":{"repo_id":"mo-state","name":"Missouri State University","base_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Black Snakes and Lone Pines: Personal Essays and Reflections on the Genre","abstract":"The personal essay is often a misunderstood genre because its form and subject matter are hard to pin down into a single definition. This thesis looks at the nature of form, subject and purpose of the personal essay. The critical introduction explores my reasons for writing personal essays; analyzes the persona, or ethos, present in the personal essay; and posits a description of the genre. I then evaluate seven selections of my own writing, placing each one (or both) of two sub genres of the personal essay--a short (personal essay under 2000 words) or a lyrical essay (a form closely tied to poetry in its use of language and dependence on \"gaps\").","abstract_html":"The personal essay is often a misunderstood genre because its form and subject matter are hard to pin down into a single definition. This thesis looks at the nature of form, subject and purpose of the personal essay. The critical introduction explores my reasons for writing personal essays; analyzes the persona, or ethos, present in the personal essay; and posits a description of the genre. I then evaluate seven selections of my own writing, placing each one (or both) of two sub genres of the personal essay--a short (personal essay under 2000 words) or a lyrical essay (a form closely tied to poetry in its use of language and dependence on "gaps").","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Anderson, Carla"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in English","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"English","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Nancy Walker"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2000,"date_issued":"2000-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2000-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:15:35Z","subjects":["English Language and Literature"],"languages":[],"rights":["© Carla Anderson"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/592","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Nancy Walker"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Anderson, Carla"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in English"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["English Language and Literature"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© Carla Anderson"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/592"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The personal essay is often a misunderstood genre because its form and subject matter are hard to pin down into a single definition. This thesis looks at the nature of form, subject and purpose of the personal essay. The critical introduction explores my reasons for writing personal essays; analyzes the persona, or ethos, present in the personal essay; and posits a description of the genre. I then evaluate seven selections of my own writing, placing each one (or both) of two sub genres of the personal essay--a short (personal essay under 2000 words) or a lyrical essay (a form closely tied to poetry in its use of language and dependence on \"gaps\")."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Black Snakes and Lone Pines: Personal Essays and Reflections on the Genre"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Nancy Walker"],"dc:creator":["Anderson, Carla"],"dc:description.abstract":["The personal essay is often a misunderstood genre because its form and subject matter are hard to pin down into a single definition. This thesis looks at the nature of form, subject and purpose of the personal essay. The critical introduction explores my reasons for writing personal essays; analyzes the persona, or ethos, present in the personal essay; and posits a description of the genre. I then evaluate seven selections of my own writing, placing each one (or both) of two sub genres of the personal essay--a short (personal essay under 2000 words) or a lyrical essay (a form closely tied to poetry in its use of language and dependence on \"gaps\")."],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/592"],"dc:rights":["© Carla Anderson"],"dc:subject":["English Language and Literature"],"dc:title":["Black Snakes and Lone Pines: Personal Essays and Reflections on the Genre"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in English"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:15:35Z"}