Publication Date
Spring 2023
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
English and Comparative Literature
Advisor
J. M. Martinez
Subject Areas
English literature
Abstract
America’s suburban sprawl design has forced its citizens to deeply rely on the automobile. This reliance has ultimately led to deep, interconnected relationships with the cars that we spend so much time in. All the Cars I Drove off Cliffs is a collection of poetry that puts a spotlight on American car culture, planned obsolescence, and the working class’s relationship with their cars. The poems in this collection are built upon information gathered from my experiences with commuters and people within car enthusiast communities. The subjects range from an out-of-work hearse from the late 40s to a 2022 Tesla Model Y. Throughout the collection, there are intermitted poems highlighting the personified similarities between humans and cars. It is these highlighted similarities that bring attention to the love and grief we experience with the life and loss of these metal machines. All the Cars I Drove off Cliffs aims to provide the affective moment of watching a car become scrap through grace and destruction.
Recommended Citation
Eveland, Tyler Brett, "All the Cars I Drove Off Cliffs" (2023). Master's Theses. 5398.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.k3de-jtb2
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5398
