Spenser’s View on the Roman Catholic Church Through the Eyes of Classical Mythology

The Christian influences and criticism against the Roman Catholic Church are abundant and apparent in Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene. However, there are other influences, themes, and motifs that are overshadowed by the heavy religious contexts and easily overlooked. Spenser not only drew inspiration from the intertwining religious and political climate of his time, butContinue reading “Spenser’s View on the Roman Catholic Church Through the Eyes of Classical Mythology”

Project 2– “Contrast” In Literature And Photos

con·trast /ˈkänˌtrast/ the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association. similar to: distinction, conflict with, be at variance with. symbol examples: life and death, light and dark, etc. The following is a collection of photos with the concept of “contrast” in mind. After reading our texts these past fewContinue reading “Project 2– “Contrast” In Literature And Photos”

The Connection between Pain and Change

When thinking of pain we always think “this will pass”, “it won’t last long”, but what about the pain that does last. Not the physical, the one that causes all the aches, but the pain that is mental. Mental pain can stick on for a while or even forever. The topic of pain can goContinue reading “The Connection between Pain and Change”

The most interesting character in The Dew Breaker!

The Dew Breaker is a collection of stories that are linked by Edwidge Danticat, and the book was published in 2004. Some read the book as a novel, while others read it at a collection of short stories that are connected. There are a few interesting characters throughout The Dew Breaker  such as Ka, AnneeContinue reading “The most interesting character in The Dew Breaker!”

Time, Morality, Redemption

Although each short story in The Dew Breaker, by Edwidge Danticat, seemingly follows different characters, the main themes and ideas of each remain the same. I have chosen to specifically follow three of these characters. Two of those characters being the woman from The Funeral Singer and Beatrice from The Bridal Seamstress. Due to anContinue reading “Time, Morality, Redemption”

The One With a Comic Strip: Spenser’s Faerie Queen Characters

I had SO much fun with this unessay project! I don’t think I would believe myself it I told Freshman year, English major, Delaney that I would be doing a comic strip for a project Senior year. As discussed in my audio reflection, there were a few critical decisions I made within each panel ofContinue reading “The One With a Comic Strip: Spenser’s Faerie Queen Characters”

Student Work at PSU: Finding Hope in 2020

I’ve seen an uptick in “survival-mode” tweets lately. How can we, as educators, as disabled people, as Americans, survive to Nov 3, to winter break, to 2021? And as a white man, how can I leverage my privilege to make survival possible for others, particularly for Queer, Trans, and BIPOC folks? Today, one of myContinue reading “Student Work at PSU: Finding Hope in 2020”

Things that Work

Go home, 2020, you’re an apocalyptic cascade of oppressive systems freshly exposed (again) by a global pandemic, worldwide #BLM protests, and a corresponding surge in public conversations about Racial Justice and Disability Justice. In other news, I haven’t been blogging in awhile. I have been active on Twitter (@nrhelms), and I’ve been quite busy withContinue reading “Things that Work”

Bisclavret and the Werewolf Conundrum

Bisclavret by Marie De France is not your typical everyday werewolf story. You can do your research on Lycanthropy and find some information about werewolf bites in stories, the lunar cycles, and full moons, but Marie De France did not write what you would expect a werewolf story to be. This isn’t Twilight with shirtlessContinue reading “Bisclavret and the Werewolf Conundrum”