Date

5-12-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

I was inspired to write this honors thesis because I wanted to share my experiences dealing with mental health issues and nontraditional family dynamics. I struggled, at the beginning of the project, to find nonfiction books that closely resembled my life and experiences. I am a black woman, but I grew up in a white family. Finding memoirs on adoption and nontraditional families that were similar to my experiences was difficult because many narratives on adoption focus on the adoptee’s search for their biological family. Such memoirs also have themes of cultural loss and struggles with identity. I never felt the desire to learn about my biological family, so it was frustrating to see adoption narratives that mainly focused on themes of an adoptee wanting to discover their biological roots, and in turn, a part of their identity.

Department

English

Thesis Comittee

Dr. Sarah Fawn Montgomery, Thesis Advisor

Dr. Emily Field, Committee Member

Prof. Bruce Machart, Committee Member

Copyright and Permissions

Original document was submitted as an Honors Program requirement. Copyright is held by the author.

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