The Final Event
Our beloved professors share their works-in-progress.
At our last event of the In Process series for the Fall semester, four of our wonderful MTSU professors, Professor Amie Whittemore, Dr. Jennifer Kates, Dr. Fred Arroyo, and Dr. Claudia Barnett, shared lovely work they have been preparing. It was so refreshing to see our professors who teach, guide, and encourage us, share the work that brings them joy. The writing community of In Process has become very dear to me, and I thank our professors for putting their time, energy, and hearts into creating a space where students feel they are able and welcomed to learn, share, and grow. And thank you especially to Dr. Barnett for creating the In Process Writing event series, because without you, none of this would have been possible.
Professor Amie Whittemore shared a collection of poems based on a girl who is finding her place in the world with the help of tarot cards. Before Professors Whittemore’s reading, I had only been vaguely exposed to tarot cards. Seeing a collection of poems based on this theme was intriguing and beckoned for a closer look into the meaning behind this character’s journey. From my understanding, tarot cards are an interpretive tool to gain insight into the past, present, and future. I see the importance of this theme to the collection as Professor Whittemore stated, “She is on a journey of self-discovery.” It adds a mythical feeling to the poems as this young girl seeks to understand who she is and where she comes from. Without the help of these cards, it seems the girl would be lost.
Professor Whittemore added, “I don’t know if she will be reformed from her cynical ways. We are learning together.” Growing with the characters we are writing creates such a union between author and character. There is a beautiful understanding that becomes apparent between the two. As authors, I think it is easy to want good things for the characters we create. They become a part of who we are, and we wait to hear their voice to tell us what path they will take on their next journey. I appreciate Professor Whittemore’s deep insight into character development and creation.
Next, Dr. Jennifer Kates shared a collection of short stories saturated in family trauma. She started out by saying, “[In Process] gave me an excuse to start a project I have wanted to work on.” It is so encouraging to see In Process spark the start of a fabulous writing journey. Sometimes, we all need a little push to get our projects started, and I appreciate Dr. Kates sharing her new project with our In Process audience.
I know I was captivated by all three stories. The contents were gruesome; rape, incest, abuse, and family trauma that permeated each reading. They were stories that made my skin crawl and my stomach turn yet, I couldn’t stop listening. I couldn’t turn away from the horrors someone else experienced. Dr. Kates’s work beckons the question: What do we gain from sharing stories with such gruesome trauma? I think there are many answers. Maybe we gain entertainment, as bad as that sounds. Maybe we gain insight into how we want to do better moving forward into humanity. Maybe we gain another perspective from someone who never got the chance to share their own story but longs for it to be heard. Regardless as to what an individual takes away from horror, I think it is important to remember trauma is endless. People will continually suffer, and if we don’t have the courage to talk about it, write about it, or share it, it will be perpetuated endlessly through generations. Writing about uncomfortable subjects is at the core of any good writer, and I thank Dr. Kates for having the courage to share a piece of her family history.
Third, Dr. Fred Arroyo shared his multi-genre collection of poems and short stories. I thought the inclusion of both genres brought about a unique dynamic to writing. I know for me, I typically stay within my one genre, as I am comfortable there. However, adding different writing techniques and styles to one collection can bring a completely different perspective to the overall creation. We get two pieces of the story in different forms. Maybe some people really love poetry, and they can identify more with poetry as opposed to short stories, and vice versa. One student asked in the talkback, “What are some of the struggles you face in writing?” Dr. Arroyo answered, “The struggle is accepting what you can do that is unique to you.” Each genre of writing is a different form of art and finding the genre that relates to you as an individual is important to the creative process; however, that doesn’t mean we have to stay secluded to one genre. Trying out different forms of writing can be a creative and freeing experience. And in Dr. Arroyo’s case, he was able to create something powerful within one story line with multiple genres. Thank you, Dr. Arroyo, for sharing your insight, knowledge, and art with In Process.
Lastly, Dr. Claudia Barnett performed a staged reading of her ten-minute play, Never Say. Dr. Barnett did a fabulous job with her one-woman show, and I, along with many other audience members, couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Bravo, Dr. Barnett! She was able to create a piece so uniquely her own. She even admitted in the talkback, “There shouldn’t be witches in this play, but too bad!” The witches in this play hinted at a bit of absurdity; however, she was able to craft the play in such a way that I didn’t question their inclusion for a minute. I think this is something so uniquely beautiful about the world of playwriting and theatre; absurdism allows us to take the world we live in and throw it away for a little while, just as Riley does with her current situation. While I wouldn’t consider Dr. Barnett’s play absurdist, Riley doesn’t seem too concerned about the rules and principles of the world her mother lives in. Riley works against the grain to find her place in her relationship with her mother and her world. It seems as if she lives in her own reality, but didn’t we all live in our own world at the age of twelve? Dr. Barnett crafts an exquisitely simple and unique interaction between a mother and daughter, creating a space to question the meaning of what humanity gains from the truth.
I want to end the semester by giving a huge thank you to Dr. Barnett for creating, supporting, and planning In Process, a place of community, creativity, and learning. I would also like to thank her for allowing me to be the In Process intern for the semester. It was such an honor, and I feel blessed to have been able to work with so many amazing professors, writers, and fellow students. As each of you move forward in your endeavors of education, writing, and life, I wish you all well! Happy trails!
“The Afterthought” is a weekly column by In Process Intern Lillian Reid.
