A collection of essays and short stories

Molisana, Lerato (2022) A collection of essays and short stories. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

This thesis aimed to synthesize my evolution as a storyteller. My aim coming into the MFA program was to sharpen my writing skills, but I conclude my studies with a wider skillset. The biggest motive that fueled my work was a rekindled appreciation for history as a study discipline. The first essay titled “The four elements” is a creative rendition of a historiography of the Masculinity of Basotho men. My exploration of scholarly literature around the concept of Masculinity within the Sesotho culture spilled over into the other creative works included in this body of work. It was the primary lens with which I read and understood historical work that informed my fiction writing in particular. I was struck by the delivery of the content of the works I interacted with in my research. It was plain, harsh and in some instances, quite economical with the truth. I initially approached my writing with the notion that it is time “the lion told its story” so the hunter doesn’t glorify himself all the time. This notion evolved as I familiarized myself with the politics of reading and writing history. Historical research is paramount to the fiction I write as I work primarily in historical fiction. I realized the emphasis placed on accounting for what happened is one-dimensional, almost clinical. I wondered what the subjects in these historical accounts felt. Also, having noticed that the interpretation of certain cultural phenomena was misconstrued, I wondered what that break-down robbed contemporary readers of, in terms of detail and preservation of the dignity of the subjects discussed. I wanted to re-imagine the events written about with the intention of bringing in my personal knowledge of the cultural and traditional knowledge of Basotho that was passed down to me. As a result, I used close third person point of view often to expose the feelings and struggles of the characters. In historical texts, this is not considered. I also wanted to pin an emotional epic against a rich political background that centers traditional chiefs and demystifies supernatural occurrences. The last story titled “Seqha” was written in the traditional style of Sesotho folklore, litšomo, as an attempt at writing in a non-Western format. I tried to incorporate storytelling formats in my work that reflect the many identities and the many worlds I represent. The essay “Reflections” captured my experience as a writer coming from another cultural context and the dynamic of conforming to the standards stipulated by dominant workshop models and the process of challenging these. The podcast sample was my way of capturing oral tradition, which plays a significant role in storytelling the Sesotho way. These two works are in direct conversation with the video that accompanies this thesis, which probes at the standards of judgement used to understand history in the Sesotho context. It challenges the application of Western ideologies and thought into the philosophy and way of life of ancient Basotho. This work has allowed me to sharpen the tools I use to research and write characters and worlds from past eras that I can only imagine. I now approach imaginative writing with critical thinking and a careful consideration of context – cultural and otherwise.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Reflective essays; Short stories
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PS American literature
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Arts and Letters > English
Date Deposited:	25 May 2023 22:25
Last Modified:	25 May 2024 08:30
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5909

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