Reading Consciousness: Analyzing Literature through William James' Stream of Thought Theory

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dc.contributor.authorCasto, Andrew Christopheren
dc.contributor.committeechairSorrentino, Paul M.en
dc.contributor.committeememberPender, Kelly E.en
dc.contributor.committeememberOehlschlaeger, Fritz H.en
dc.contributor.departmentEnglishen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:36:06Zen
dc.date.adate2011-05-24en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:36:06Zen
dc.date.issued2011-04-26en
dc.date.rdate2011-05-24en
dc.date.sdate2011-05-10en
dc.description.abstractProceeding from the assumption that psychoanalytic theory has yielded insightful literary interpretations, I propose that equally legitimate readings result from analyzing consciousness in literature. William James' "Stream of Thought" offers a psychological theory of consciousness from which I develop a literary theory that counterbalances the Freudian emphasis on the unconscious. Examining two works by Henry James, I demonstrate how assessing the elements of a character's consciousness leads to conclusions at which other theories do not arrive. This analytical approach leads to not only an alternative critical agenda but also a fuller understanding of the psychological function of the character's and, by extension, the human mind.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Artsen
dc.identifier.otheretd-05102011-120610en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05102011-120610/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/32531en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartCasto_AC_T_2011.pdf_1.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectConsciousness in literatureen
dc.subjectPsychological criticismen
dc.subjectStream of consciousnessen
dc.subjectLiterary criticismen
dc.subjectCritical theoryen
dc.titleReading Consciousness: Analyzing Literature through William James' Stream of Thought Theoryen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineEnglishen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Artsen

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