This dissertation is a collection of essays that examines the authors coming-of-age in terms of religion, race, gender, and family. Using a combination of personal experience, reflection on this experience, and outside research, these essays employ creative nonfiction strategies to find meaning and sense in the complex terrain of human existence. The recurring themes all focus on change—the author's growth from a conservative, sheltered girlhood to womanhood, when she begins cultivating her new beliefs. The questions persist of how much the past will influence the present and how much the past can, and should, be let go.'
","abstract_html":"<p>This dissertation is a collection of essays that examines the authors coming-of-age in terms of religion, race, gender, and family. Using a combination of personal experience, reflection on this experience, and outside research, these essays employ creative nonfiction strategies to find meaning and sense in the complex terrain of human existence. The recurring themes all focus on change—the author's growth from a conservative, sheltered girlhood to womanhood, when she begins cultivating her new beliefs. The questions persist of how much the past will influence the present and how much the past can, and should, be let go.'</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kirk, Nari"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MFA Creative Writing","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"English","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Martin, Gregory","Doyle, Brian","Warner, Sharon","Houston, Gail"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-08-17T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-08-17T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:27:31Z","subjects":["Coming of age in literature","American essays--21st century","English Language and Literature"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/68"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/68","href":"https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/68","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1928/12996","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Martin, Gregory","Doyle, Brian","Warner, Sharon","Houston, Gail"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kirk, Nari"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2099-05-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters","Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MFA Creative Writing"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Coming of age in literature","American essays--21st century","English Language and Literature"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1928/12996","https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/68"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation is a collection of essays that examines the authors coming-of-age in terms of religion, race, gender, and family. Using a combination of personal experience, reflection on this experience, and outside research, these essays employ creative nonfiction strategies to find meaning and sense in the complex terrain of human existence. The recurring themes all focus on change—the author's growth from a conservative, sheltered girlhood to womanhood, when she begins cultivating her new beliefs. The questions persist of how much the past will influence the present and how much the past can, and should, be let go.'
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