An exploration of the relationship between object and illness, with specific reference to multiple sclerosis, by means of a novel, Brodie, and five essays

Shirreffs, Gillian E. (2021) An exploration of the relationship between object and illness, with specific reference to multiple sclerosis, by means of a novel, Brodie, and five essays. DFA thesis, University of Glasgow.

Due to Embargo and/or Third Party Copyright restrictions, this thesis is not available in this service.

Abstract

This practice as research thesis comprises two elements.

1) The creative element is a novel, Brodie, which is narrated by an object, Brodie, who is a copy of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The narrator’s experience mirrors something of what it is like to live with multiple sclerosis: the unwelcome intervention, confinement, and oddness that an MS relapse will inevitably bring. Hungry for information, Brodie is able to see, hear, smell, intuit and can communicate with other objects. Brodie cannot, however, move unaided. This existence may be marked by limitation and a lack of control, but it is full and vital thanks to Brodie’s keen interest in the lives and stories of others. Betrayal – a nod to the tendency towards treachery that a body with MS seems to possess – is a theme that, in common with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, threads through the novel. However, it is Brodie’s longing to return home to Violet (life before) that drives the narrative.

2) The creative / critical element comprises five essays: Object and Illness, An Introduction; Illness, A Narrative in Four Parts; and a collection entitled, Subject-Verb-Object. The essays in Subject-Verb-Object weave memoir into examinations of the history, development and use of three medical objects: the hypodermic needle, the MRI scanner, and the medical plinth.

Item Type: Thesis (DFA)
Qualification Level: Doctoral
Additional Information: In May 2020, the hybrid essay, ‘Illness: A Narrative in Four Parts’ (pages 238-257) was serialised in the online medical humanities journal, The Polyphony.
Keywords: creative writing, multiple sclerosis, illness narrative, fiction, Muriel Spark, hybrid form, chronic illness, medical objects, medical humanities.
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General)
Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
Supervisor's Name: Reeder, Dr. Elizabeth
Date of Award: 2021
Embargo Date: 18 February 2024
Depositing User: Gillian Shirreffs
Unique ID: glathesis:2021-82019
Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
Date Deposited: 19 Feb 2021 11:07
Last Modified: 19 Feb 2021 11:08
Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.82019
URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/82019

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