My Interview About My Capstone/Thesis Paper

Here is the interview, which is from Marywood's English Department blog Read On. Write On.

Meet Marilyn Anderson (’16)

MARCH 24, 2016 / READONWRITEONMU

Profile by Maria Lawrence (’17)

Marilyn Anderson is a senior at Marywood University. She will graduate this fall as an English Literature major with a Writing minor. Her love of books prompted her to major in English. Marilyn has not only a passion for reading and writing, but also a love for discussing literature.

Inspirations

Marilyn is particularly fond of novels about young adult dystopian societies. This interest began when Marilyn was a teenager while she was forming her beliefs and discovering herself. She is attracted to these books mostly because “[they] can be a way to predict what the future may look like based on the recent past and today’s events and culture.” A few of Marilyn’s favorite authors are Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, and Suzanne Collins. She likes these authors for a number of reasons, but especially because their works are both enjoyable and relevant to others.

Marilyn’s Work

Marilyn’s favorite book is Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Marilyn feels that she can really relate to the character of Katniss Everdeen, and she loves how Collins portrays her as a strong, independent woman. For Marilyn’s senior capstone paper she will compare The Hunger Games to Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Her paper will focus on how radical the character of Katniss is because of her dominant masculine and feminine characteristics.

Memories

One of Marilyn’s fondest memories was in Dr. Conlogue’s English 180 class. The class had to do a creative writing assignment in pairs with each member writing a paragraph. This was Marilyn’s first time writing collaboratively with another person. Marilyn and her partner went on to expand their story together even after the class had ended. Marilyn’s confidence grew after this experience, and she learned how much she enjoys encouraging others to write.

Marilyn’s Future

After graduation, Marilyn’s goal is to pursue a career in writing and editing. She enjoys reading others’ works to see their personal perspectives on the world and giving them feedback. “It is our responsibility to become role models and influence the youth for the good of others.” What better way to do that than through literature!  Marilyn hopes to edit works she is passionate about and that her own writing will inspire others.

Advice

Marilyn’s advice to students is to get all of their ideas out on paper. If ever a student gets discouraged: walk away. She believes the best thing is to take a break and do something you love before returning to writing. For Marilyn a break may consist of listening to music or roller skating. “You never know when inspiration will spark!”