Honors College Thesis

 

“If you are holding this letter” Public Deposited

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  • “If you are holding this letter” a historical fiction novella that educates readers about the historical significance of World War II: what it was like to be an American soldier fighting in Europe and how the war effected the personal lives those on the home front. Through first-person narration, this thesis exposes readers to the horrors of the reality of war and soldiers’ miseries; the shifting gender norms in the United States; the passionate patriotism both at home and abroad; and the love between two seemingly insignificant young people as they navigate the tumultuous times of WWII through their devoted letters. This thesis consists of fictional prayers and letters between an American soldier fighting the war abroad and his girlfriend living in Chicago, Illinois. The soldier, Thomas Hartley, is first stationed in France and later, Poland. His girlfriend, Donna Mayes, gains her first employment opportunity working in a war production factory. Through letters and prayers from Thomas and Donna, the devastation of WWII is apparent in the lives of both soldiers and civilians at home, but, as the story illustrates, the war also brought great joy and fulfillment in some cases.
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