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University of New Orleans

Putting Makeup on Dead People

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Putting Makeup on Dead People is a collection of ten short stories narrated by Donna that relate key moments in her life from early childhood through her mid-thirties. Because of the author's belief in the circularity of time and of what makes up human identity (what we do, what happens to us, to whom we are related), the stories do not progress chronologically. The collection pays particular attention to Donna's relationship with key family members: her father Nicky, her mother Martha, her Uncle Lou, her Aunt Selena, and her siblings, Linnie and B. Many of the stories also attend to Donna's relationship with Charlie, the man who finally becomes her husband. Through these stories of one woman's life, this collection explores themes of loss, healing, and personal growth. Ultimately, this work encapsulates one person's discovery of her core identity, underneath and in addition to all of the layers added to that core, through relationships, life experiences, successes, and failures.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.F.A.
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Film, Theatre, and Communication Arts
Year
2007

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Violi, Jennifer
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Leake, Joanna; Boyden, Amanda
  • Boyden, Joseph

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1069
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2050

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of New Orleans
Base URL
scholarworks.uno.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Violi, Jennifer. Putting Makeup on Dead People. Thesis thesis, 2007. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1069