My Gorgeous Graduate

Yes she still has that amazingly beautiful hair after more than 2 years of pulling it out over graduate classes, freshman English teaching, and a brilliant (and challenging) thesis.  Annalisa defended her thesis on Thursday and walked for graduation on Friday.  Although her graduation will be official in December, she is now finished with every requirement for her masters degree in English.  Check out the master's hood.

 

I'm sure that by now you all know how absolutely brilliant Annalisa is, but allow me a moment on this occasion to brag just a bit.  Anna has a passion that makes all of her work shine.  She has frequently come home from class so excited about the discussion they just had that she would bring me up to speed so that we could keep talking about it, sometimes for hours.  She can't help but become deeply concerned every semester when she has a student that is on a trajectory toward failing her class.  She consistently takes time to prepare great classes, even when she has other demands on her or could be doing something more enjoyable.

And then there is her thesis.  Rather than have you take my word for it I'll paste a copy of the abstract here (you'll have to talk to her about reading the whole thing).

My thesis proposes a theory of relational identity development in Chicana literature. Gloria Anzaldua's Borderlands/La Frontera offers an interpretation of Chicana identity that is largely based on historical models and mythology, which many scholars have found useful in interpreting Chicana literature. However, I contend that another text, Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street, not only illustrates the need for an alternative paradigm for considering identity development, but in fact offers such an alternative. I argue that Cisneros shows a model for relational identity development, wherein the individual develops in the context of her community and is not determined solely by elements of myth or genealogy.

In questioning the historical paradigm of identity development, I examine three key aspects associated with Chicana identity development: gender, home, and language. Employing the theories of Édouard Glissant, I discuss how individual identity development is better understood in terms of relationships and experience rather than historical models. For Chicanas, the roles of women have largely been interpreted as predetermined, set by the mythic figures La Malinche and La Virgen de Guadalupe. However, Cisneros's work shows that this historical tradition is less fruitful in understanding identity than recognizing individuals' experience in context of their relationships. With this communal understanding established, I question the common associations of home and Chicana identity. I argue that Cisneros challenges our very concept of home as she engages and counters the notions of theorist Gaston Bachelard. The idea of a house is metaphorical, becoming a space of communal belonging rather than a physical structure to separate individuals. Finally, I consider how both spoken and written language contribute to relational identity development. I argue that Cisneros's use of language demonstrates that not only does language provide the means for development within a community, but also the means for creation within that society. The theoretical implications of such a relational identity construct are not only an expansion of what is entailed in Chicana identity, but an invitation for broadening the community of theoretical discussion surrounding Chicana literature.

It's probably no surprise to you that she passed her defense with flying colors.  Her thesis chair even remarked later that the defense was fun, surely a sign (unless he's a sadist) that she has done a good job.

Anna, I'm so thrilled with you for reaching this great milestone.  You are a brilliant woman and you never cease to amaze me with your wit and insight.  I've seen the hours of hard work and dedication that have brought you to this point and I am so proud of you for never giving up and doing superb work despite some significant challenges along the way.  I love you immensely and offer you congratulations and honor for this fine accomplishment.  Annalisa Wiggins, MA . . . I like the sound of that!