University of Mississippi eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 1-1-2011 Here on this hill Jennifer Jean Wilson University of Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd Part of the Creative Writing Commons Recommended Citation Wilson, Jennifer Jean, "Here on this hill" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1183. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1183 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. HERE ON THIS HILL A Thesis Presented for the Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing The University of Mississippi Jennifer J. Wilson December 2011 Copyright © 2011 by Jennifer J. Wilson All rights reserved ABSTRACT Jolee Wilese is a young college student struggling to reconcile her life experiences in two different worlds: the world of a college community in the city of Babel, to which she commutes daily, and the world of her home community in a rural area of northern Mississippi. Past and present collide as she explores events and ideologies which have shaped her own identity and the identities of those around her, particularly her father who works in the city, farms at home, struggles with alcoholism and fears the nearness of an apocalyptic era. As the story unfolds, Jolee finds herself torn between two opposing worldviews—the worldview embodied by her home and community, and the worldview she finds herself immersed in as she works and attends school “in town.” Through a series of events both within and outside of her control, she faces a decision that may alter the course of her life.