Date of Graduation

5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts in English

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

English

Advisor/Mentor

Sparks, Leigh

Committee Member/Reader

McIntyre, Megan

Committee Member/Second Reader

Parry, Janine

Committee Member/Third Reader

Reeber, Joy

Abstract

This project examines memoirs and short narrative pieces written by incarcerated or formerly incarcerated women, specifically focusing on trauma experienced before incarceration. Through analysis of one anthology and two memoirs, this project addresses how writing can facilitate healing in justice-impacted women who have experienced physical and/or sexual trauma, looking at writing conducted inside or outside of the prison environment and writing conducted in a prison writing group or alone. Analysis of these three texts shows that writing, regardless of the environment conducted, can facilitate healing in incarcerated women who have experienced past trauma. The literary techniques employed by the authors and the structure of their narratives demonstrate their ability to heal. This thesis further calls for writing to be made more accessible to women within the prison environment.

Keywords

incarceration, incarcerated women, trauma, prison writing group

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