Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Classic Stages

or just another bloody thesis writer
I am going through what I am sure is one of several classic stages of any thesis writer. At the moment I feel overwhelmed by all the reading I've been doing. Every reading mentions another writer and I think well, I guess I better check him/her out. I feel wobbly in my academic general knowledge and unsure who thinks what in the psychoanalytic world. My primary texts (Coraline and Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman) are rapidly disappearing behind the vast sea of theory.

You know how there is always a point when you're making custard and you think it's not going to thicken. In fact it seems impossible that it could, all that terribly thin liquid sloshing around. I'm kind of at that point. And sometimes custard really doesn't thicken.

It seemed like such a good idea to do a 100% academic thesis. It seemed very sensible indeed. But now I am thinking longingly about the 100% creative option. Maybe I should take even odds and go 50/50. Ah me. Masters. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:44 AM

    Maybe if we had better guidance and weren't wasting our time on tangents...?

    I'm just crabby today. It'll thicken. I'm a firm believer in you (and I even have proof that you're real! Take that, organized religion!).

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  2. Anonymous6:53 PM

    This custard will thicken, Penni! I'm sure you'll find your way back to your original texts soon and can start enjoying the other stages of thesis writing...

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  3. you might just have to cook it a wee bit longer : ) stew, as it were....

    I love Neil and am fascinated by your thesis topic. I am assuming you have read his other stuff, too? and will you share bits as you write? I'd love to hear what other things people think, esp. about Coraline. Altho my fav kids' Neil is The Day I Traded My Dad for Two Goldfish.

    (found you via Suse/Pea Soup)

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  4. I've actually finalised my topic, and although I wanted to write about all three of his kids books, I am now only writing about Coraline (boohoo, but I guess it's part of the process to shed books along the way).

    Yes I will share along the way - it will be good cake filler!

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