Stygiophobia and Other Fears of Death and Loneliness: Collected Fiction

Abstract

This creative thesis is comprised of five short stories and an introduction, which details artistic influences and other factors related to writing. The first story, "Through the Electronic Looking Glass," is a story simultaneously about a dissolving relationship and the intersection between art and commerce. ''Stygiophobia," the title work of the collection meaning "fear of hell," deals with a Christian protestor' s experience at a gay pride parade. "So Damned Civilized" tells the story of an office dinner party gone horribly wrong and gives a glimpse into the evils of human nature. "Affliction," at its core, is about a zombie apocalypse and its effects on a suburban strip mall, but it also explores whether people can put aside their differences for the common good ... during an election season. Finally, "Love, Backwards" centers around a teenage girl and her deceased sister's boyfriend and the ways in which the two of them cope with loss. All of the stories are tied together by either the threat of death (from zombies, the afterlife, and car accidents) or loneliness (from infidelity, rejection, and moving away), and that both of these concepts embody a sort of "hell" for the stories' characters. I feel that each story highlights my achievements in Brockport's Creative Writing M.A. program.