Graduation Term
2016
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Department of English: English Studies
Committee Chair
Amy E. Robillard
Abstract
This dissertation interrogates the rhetoric of bravery as a culturally-infused way of hearing certain kinds of personal narratives. As a cultural rhetoric, “bravery” has deep roots in masculine militaristic ideology in which cowardice, courage, and shame are conceptually linked to a sense of duty. The memoir industry represents one environment that archives what is valued as brave writing. As rhetoric precariously at work in the memoir industry, this dissertation investigates the cultural assumptions that drive literary bravery as it is used to assess contemporary memoirs, particularly memoirs written by women. Braving Shame invokes a new brand of bravery—one that de-emphasizes a masculine perception of bravery (as performance) and emphasizes a feminine ethic of care.
Access Type
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Parker, Debra Gayle, "Braving Shame: the Rhetoric of Bravery in Contemporary Women's Memoir" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 627.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/627
DOI
http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2016.Parker.D