The Institute: A work of Fiction

1 online resource (116 pages) : PDF

2019

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

A historical fiction novel set in colonial Belgian Congo during World War II, The Institute: A Work of Fiction centers around Mary Elkhorn, an American agriculturist who travels to a farming institute located on the Congo River. En route, Mary is recruited by American Foreign Services to work as a "cutout," an American spy, in order to keep tabs on the Belgian civilians who run the institute. Mystery surrounding a mysterious soft ore hangs over the entire colony, where the world’s most potent uranium is mined. Her role as unwitting American spy forces her to ask questions and look below the surface of life in colonial Africa. While Mary believes her career aspirations can be reached by undertaking this migration, she will quickly discover that cultural limitations follow her to Africa. Beyond her personal struggles for autonomy in an androcentric generation, Mary is forced to reckon with witnessing human rights’ violations and forced imperialism in one of the most turbulent eras in recent history.

masters theses

Creative writing

M.A.

Colonial Africa
Historical Fiction
Novel
Post-Colonial
Uranium
WWII

English

Gwyn, Aaron

Chancellor, Bryn
Thorsheim, Peter

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2019.

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For additional information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/.

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Lazzara_uncc_0694N_12066

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1979