Monday, September 3, 2007

Thesis Time

"I'm excited."
-Juan

I just got out of Juan's office where I talked to him about doing a creative thesis. After months of going back and forth, I've finally decided not to do the critical thesis. Also, it turns out that I can graduate in spring, theoretically, if I get my thesis done in one semester. I told him I wanted to work ahead a bit and write stories for my thesis before we're actually "working" on it, which will help with the getting it done soon.

Since he's new, he doesn't have all the details yet about what I'll need to do, but we've got a starting point, which is cool. He's excited about it, and so am I. It'll be great. Kinda funny, too, when we were talking about my writing. He's never seen anything I've written, so some of his comments were a bit oddball for me personally. For instance, he warned me that there'd be a lot of revising involved. I would expect nothing less. But, like I said, we've pretty much just met and he's covering his bases.

Some time in the next week or two, I'm going to show him a couple of stories. I think Albatross and the chicken heart story would be good because that's what I'm aiming for with my thesis. So, I've kinda already started it. Then, too, he'll have a clear idea of what/how I write and we can get down to specifics. Revising, too, I'm sure.

I'm a little relieved, too. Now I have a specific direction I'm working toward. Before, whenever people asked, "When are you graduating?" I never had a concrete answer. Ditto for "What are you writing your thesis on?" Making those choices was tough, but now that they're made, I feel good about them.

The funny thing is, I talked to Camii the other night (ah, the wonders of IM) and told her I'd finally made the decision. To which she pretty much replied, "Well, duh. I could've told you you'd do a creative thesis." It never ceases to amaze me how sometimes other people know what we'll do before we do.

7 comments:

Mishell said...

Oooo, you're so brave! The creative thesis option is twice the work of the critical thesis. I don't envy you one bit. I'll quit complaining about my thesis.

Anonymous said...

Oh, good one, Mishell. The girl makes her decision and you tell her she's picked the harder one. =)

Seriously, Ali, good on ya. I think this'll be good for you. And fun to read...I get to read it right?

Ali said...

Get too. Ha ha. Of course you "get" to read it. I think you'll also "get" to help me revise and "get" to help me put it all in order, and "get" to help me figure out where to go with my critical defense. Yup, you'll "get" to have plenty to do with my thesis. Don't you worry :)

The One and Only John said...

...so, I'm confused. Is this basically a piece of fiction that will be reviewed like an academic paper? Or is it a hypothesis/logical progression sort of piece?

Ali said...

I'm kinda fuzzy on the details, too. Here's how I understand it, though:
I write the creative piece. Then I write a critical piece that analyzes/defends my creative piece, using literary criticism theory.

The thesis gets reviewed by my thesis committee, and then I do an oral defense of the thesis after it's "finished."

Jenny Maloney said...

By the way, who is on your thesis committee?

Ali said...

Good question. Juan, obviously. I'm thinking Cindy, and maybe Katherine (who I know will make me do a rockin' critical part for the thesis). Or, maybe other people. Dunno for sure.