Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2025
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
English and Linguistics
Department Chair or Program Director
Jonathan Levin
First Advisor
Mara Scanlon
Major or Concentration
English
Abstract
Fiction authors must consider the different ways a reader can consume acts of violence or torture in a piece of art. In this paper, I discuss the different considerations authors must make before writing such scenes, specifically within contexts of historical fictions. By analyzing the novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra through the lens of ethical theory, I argue that Marra effectively uses language, historicization and research, and authenticity/character development to represent violent torture in his novel set in the context of the Russian-Chechen conflict. Looking at the power dynamics through character and language, as well as the importance of contextualization and characterization within the context of the full novel, I discuss how Marra allows the character Ramzan to experience torture in a way that allows the reader to sympathize with the character, yet also recognize the horrors of the conflict itself.
Recommended Citation
Croswait, Kiera A., "Incorporating Scenes of Torture in Literature" (2025). Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects. 634.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/634