The End Times

Ohberg, Gunnar (2019) The End Times. Undergraduate thesis, under the direction of Tom Franklin from English, The University of Mississippi.

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Abstract

The End Times is a collection of apocalyptic short stories set within the same universe. The stories employ elements of magical realism and grit lit. It is the author's hope that each story deal with at least one external societal issue (such as digital discourse and sexual aggression) and one internal psychological issue (such as depression, obsession/compulsion, and survivor's guilt). Each story is told in the first-person in an effort to best demonstrate the various psychologies of its protagonist. In these stories, God has decided to punish humanity for their transgressions. The devices of this God are fantastic: limbs disappear, women speak under pools of water, and dark creatures come out of the ground in droves. The stories are set in Georgia and South Carolina. Rural, suburban, and urban locales are utilized. Though religious allegories and references are present, this book is not concerned in any way with religion. The intention of this work is to explore issues of violence, judgment, punishment, mental health, and redemption. Two stories, "Hammerless" and "Rednecks of the Universe," exist outside of The End Times thematically and universally. "Hammerless" deals with sexual liberation and gender discrimination. "Rednecks of the Universe" deals with the ironies of class. Both stories take place primarily in the Midwest. These stories are meant to showcase interests and abilities of the author outside of those demonstrated in The End Times, for better or for worse.

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