Poetry as a Pedagogy of Touch

With evidence ranging from visual representations by scanning tunneling microscopes to the fluid and dynamic language of poetry, my research shows that we are shifting from a culture primarily based on ‘sight’ to one that is involved with ‘touch,’ metaphorically and literally speaking. Recent developments in theory and technology, especially quantum physics and post-structuralism, have redefined representation to encompass the necessary reflex of the representer. To be sure, my research has also found feminist and postcolonial criticisms to echo this theory: both have sought to challenge representations due to the objectivity normally attributed to the representer, the Cartesian logic of which quantum theory has destabilized. Thus, by reading poetry with a quantum theoretical lens, specifically the works of Gertrude Stein, Marianne Moore, Anne Carson, and Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, I show how ‘touch’ plays into our language, consequently affecting how we think through language.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Department dc:contributor.department

English

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Tan, Czander LOPEZ

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Powell, Katrina M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Graham, Peter W.
• Gardner, Thomas M.

• poetry
• poetics
• language
• quantum theory
• Bohr
• complementarity
• Karen Barad
• indeterminacy
• feminism
• postcolonial
• literature
• Theresa Cha
• Anne Carson
• Gertrude Stein
• Marianne Moore
• scanning tunneling microscope
• stm
• touch

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:10875

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77688