Publication Date

Spring 2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

English and Comparative Literature

Advisor

Nicholas Taylor

Subject Areas

Literature

Abstract

Daniel Sorlin proposes that he and his wife, Claire, engage in an open marriage. Daniel has already been cheating on Claire for years, so the open marriage will allow him to stop feeling guilty for being a philanderer. Little does he know that Claire has fantasized about having an affair with one of their neighbors, an artist named Greg. Claire takes Daniel up on his offer, leading to an exploration of what happens to a relationship when the idea of fidelity is removed. The novel shows how a series of unplanned events (pregnancy, an early marriage, extramarital affairs, the death of a child) have made this relationship wither, leaving Daniel and Claire to figure out if their bond is strong enough to salvage what is broken. Trust and redemption form the basis for the novel, which also examines how much work people are willing to do to better themselves.

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