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Publication Date

Spring 2015

Degree Type

Thesis - Campus Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

English and Comparative Literature

Advisor

Scott W. Sublett

Keywords

American Drama, Cancer, Domestic Drama, Grief, Secrets, War

Subject Areas

Literature; Theater; Fine arts

Abstract

A domestic drama, this screenplay examines themes such as loss, grief, and reconciliation. In the midst of planning an anniversary party and coping with the death of a close friend, an American housewife named Claire Anderson tries to understand the mystery surrounding the events that lead to her daughter Ana’s ruin.

Due to Ana’s assumed fragile mental state, after receiving rehabilitation treatment in Arizona for substance abuse, Claire and Frank Anderson have decided not to tell Ana about Frank’s cancer. As Claire hastily attempts to mend her relationship with Ana before her wedding anniversary, her anxieties only intensify when she discovers Grace Shepherd, her deceased next-door neighbor and best friend, had a family she never told her about. Claire’s attempt to familiarize herself with her new next-door neighbors, and re-familiarize herself with her daughter Ana, ultimately leads to the revelation that the Andersons were one of the many families in America victimized by the consequences of war.

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