Literature

How have contemporary writers repositioned the term “Otherness” in literature? In Toni Morrison’s article “The Color Fetish,” she describes how modernists like William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway employed colorism and racial stereotypes when writing their characters. How do contemporary black writers portray their characters, as celebrating the “Other” and perhaps manipulating the Jim Crow caricatures. Consider, for example, Octavia Butler’s characters in the novel Kindred, Toni Morrison's characters in her short story Recitatif, and many others.

People who live with mental illnesses spend their lives in a state of heightened anxiety and stress, and if they're creative, this often comes through in their work. Arguably some of the greatest contributions to horror, particularly in literature, were written by people with really severe mental health problems, among them Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft, and Caitlin Kiernan. Even works made by artists who don't want their mental illness to be so obvious can be darker than they first appear. For instance, many of the deep cuts of the famous rock star Jon Bon Jovi, who struggles with depression, are much more disturbing than the songs that made him a household name. So, are all mentally-ill creatives fated to create dark, creepy, or depressing content? What specific aspects of a creator's mental illness might inform the darker aspects of their work? Are there any mentally-ill artists whose art remains entirely untouched by their illness?

Everyone knows C.S. Lewis as the writer of the Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as (to a lesser extent) The Screwtape Letters. However, he's written a lot of other works too–both fiction and nonfiction–that don't get as much attention. Throughout his body of work, what recurring patterns and themes emerge? How have they changed over time? Is there anything he wrote that doesn't get the attention it deserves?

An article exploring the development and effect of significant pieces of Utopian literature and why Dystopian literature is more popular and widespread than its positive cousin. Is there something in our modern day psychological make-up that makes us define the ideal world negatively rather than positively?

There has been a surge in new and upcoming book releases being retellings of old stories, whether they be classics (for example, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley) or fairy tales (like Beauty and the Beast). What does this suggest about society at the moment, if literature is a reflection of our current state of mind? Are these retellings to do with nostalgia or a need to bring the past to the modern age? Do authors succeed in doing so?

Examine artists who have taken successful careers from internet niches (E.L. James, Kris Straub, etc.) and how they pivoted from this success to a more mainstream kind of fame. E.L. James took a Twilight fanfiction and turned it into a successful novel trilogy with barely any edits. Kris Straub turned his Candle Cove creepypasta into a successful Syfy original series. What goes into the process of bringing the internet into line with traditional media?

Analyse the history and evolution of the Mills and Boon romance novels. How the content and cover art changed throughout the years.

Analyse how female protagonists are represented as the hero in YA novels. It could be interesting to include an examination of the extent by which these female protagonists rely on the male characters and how they differ from male protagonists depicted as the hero in other novels.
An interesting take on this topic could also include how these female characters reflect the women of today.