Vivian.

dc.contributor.advisorMacey, J. David
dc.contributor.authorKeener, Judith
dc.contributor.committeeMemberHochenauer, Kurt
dc.contributor.committeeMemberWarren, Clifton
dc.date.accessioned2020-05-26T20:37:28Z
dc.date.available2020-05-26T20:37:28Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstract'Any marriage, happy or unhappy, is infinitely more interesting than any romance, no matter how passionate.' (W.H. Auden). Walt and Vivian are unhappily married, living in a tent-camp during the early part of the Great Depression. Walt's physical strength ensures employment wherever they travel. The story opens with the burial of the couple's newborn triplets. Vivian says they fell. Walt wants to believe her. Vivian eventually pawns her husband's heirlooms to buy a train ticket. Walt follows, needing to take care of her because of his wedding vows - yet Vivian is not an easy woman to love and cherish. She is also exceedingly difficult to protect, as Vivian leaves several dead bodies in her wake. Walt battles more with his own moral values than he does with Vivian. At times, his inaction seems to be a strength and, at other times, a weakness. After numerous altercations and uncomfortably close encounters with the law, Walt realizes their tumultuous marriage must end - one way or another. Above all, this must be done without breaking his vows. Vivian manifests a multitude of mental woes which cause her anti-social behavior. The plot is that of journey - both masculine and feminine. It is full of irony, religious symbolism, anecdotal motivation and vigilante tendencies. Ultimately, Walt and Vivian need each other.
dc.identifier.oclc(OCoLC)ocn839676926
dc.identifier.other(AlmaMMSId)9978508185202196
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11244/324654
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author, who has granted UCO Chambers Library the non-exclusive right to share this material in its online repositories. Contact UCO Chambers Library's Digital Initiatives Working Group at diwg@uco.edu for the permission policy on the use, reproduction or distribution of this material.
dc.subject.lcshMarriage
dc.subject.lcshDomestic fiction
dc.subject.lcshFamilies
dc.thesis.degreeM.A., English
dc.titleVivian.
dc.typeAcademic theses
thesis.degree.grantorJackson College of Graduate Studies
uco.groupUCO - Graduate Works and Theses::UCO - Theses

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