Author Archives: Sara Varghese

Student Spotlight: Esmé Warmuth

Esmé Warmuth and Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night”

Esmé Warmuth is a senior English Honors major currently developing a thesis centered around Dark Academia in literature. With a passion for feminism, queer studies, and the work of Donna Tartt, Esmé’s time at Stony Brook has given her the insight to pursue her research wholeheartedly. 

Talk to me about your honors thesis. 

My honors thesis evolved from me really loving Dark Academia and [that subgenre of] books when I was in high school, especially in the pandemic. As I got older, I still loved the stories, but I began to question the representations of women [within them] specifically. I started to wonder why these books are often so structured with women as objects. My idea evolved from there into a consideration of the genre of literature that falls under the term “Dark Academia” which has become very popular online. I’m considering, first of all, Dark Academia as a subculture, and I’m arguing that Dark Academia is larger than just these works of fiction. Within the Dark Academia aesthetic, there’s a very specific literary subgenre which I am calling, “Tarttian Campus Fiction” after Donna Tartt. I’m further arguing that these books fundamentally involve and center queerness in their narratives. I think part of why they’re so popular and feel so comforting to people is because they are stories about murder and worshipping antiquity, but they’re also stories about spaces in which you could exist as a queer person. The love triangles that exist in all of these stories are examples of mimetic desire (desire of something because it belongs to someone you admire) with the woman being the object that is desired because another man desires it. This is something the theorist René Girard came up with, subject-model-object erotic triangles. What I’m arguing is that in dark academia, Girard’s traditional idea of the love triangle is subverted by the existence of a murder which takes these characters outside of traditional society and allows the subject and model to pursue each other directly, which cuts out the object, the woman, and that creates misogyny in the narratives.

What advice would you give to students who are about to begin their thesis writing processes? 

Definitely make an outline and a timetable. It might not feel necessary, but it definitely is. Secondarily, I would say, if you have an idea about what you want to say, try not to be discouraged or overwhelmed and try in whatever way you can to execute your idea. There are many factors that could lead to you thinking it might be the path of least resistance to compromise or modify your original plan, but if it’s what you think will be best for the thesis, then you should do your best to execute it in that way.

How has being an English major changed your approach to writing? 

I think being an English major has allowed me to understand there is not necessarily a correct answer in this major, at any point. It’s not about the pursuit of a correct answer, but rather, since writing is so inherently driven by emotion, [it] requires a degree of trusting yourself and making [your] point based on what you feel when you read. I feel that the new generation of scholars has to be able to contradict the old generation by realizing that there’s not necessarily one right answer to strive toward.

What advice, maybe from a professor or mentor, has stuck with you throughout your academic career? 

Dr. Tondre and Dr. Scheckel have both at different points [told] me that I should advocate for myself when it comes to my ideas, even if they’re contradicted. When I’ve spoken to them about people disagreeing with ideas I have about literature or scholarship, they have both emphasized to me that if it’s something  I’m writing, that I should continue to advocate for my point. [That advice] has helped me not think of myself so much as a student, even though I am a student, but rather somebody who’s contributing to the field with my research.

Lastly, what are you reading at the moment? 

I just finished the new Hunger Games book (Sunrise on the Reaping). I actually just started re-reading Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. It’s part of my thesis, but it’s something I return to very frequently. Donna Tartt has a quote in The Secret History where she says, “it’s better to know one book intimately than a hundred superficially”, and I do re-read The Secret History a lot. Every time I re-read it, I find something new that I never noticed about it before. It’s amazing, there are so many different lenses you can look at it through. I don’t think I’ll ever catch everything that Donna Tartt is trying to tell me. It never gets old, it’s so good.

Earth Day Book Talk – Professor Michael Tondre’s “Oil”

On Earth Day, April 22nd, the English Department held a Book Reading for Professor Michael Tondre’s newest work, Oil. Published last year, Oil is an addition to the Bloomsbury Publishing “Object Lessons” series, which aims to delve into, “the hidden lives of ordinary things.” Professor Tondre’s professorship at Stony Brook has incorporated his study of petro-culture and informed students of oil’s omnipresent nature in literature and society.

Professor Michael Rubenstein gave the introduction, noting that he and Tondre not only share a name, but a similar area of study as well. He spoke on his involvement in the first stages of Oil’s production, the two’s subsequent study of the energy regime, eco-criticism, and the overwhelming lens of petro-culture. Oil is a significant departure from Tondre’s first work published in 2018, The Physics of Possibility, which discusses the beginnings of mathematical physics in the Victorian age. However, Tondre has been a petro-scholar for a significant period, having written on the subject for several academic journals as well as focusing on literary ecocriticism as a professor at Stony Brook. Tondre began with speaking on the nature of oil itself, stating it is, “the most important thing in the modern world.”

As an energy source and the most significant contributor to climate change, oil, “created and destroys the world” — however, Tondre’s initial research revealed a significant chasm in petro-scholarship, the study of oil’s cultural impact. Referencing the 1969 film Easy Rider as well as the works of Virginia Woolf, Tondre discussed the near-constant representation of oil in art and literature. Regarding Oil’s cover, Tondre stated his appreciation for the clear imagery of, “hiding in plain sight” as that is analogous to his discussions of petro-culture throughout the text. Tondre went on to discuss Oil’s formatting and his intention to structure the book around the creation, production, and overuse of oil in modernity. He followed this overview by reading from the introduction, with striking lines such as, “oil appears as the raw substance of plurality itself.” He then read from the last chapter, acknowledging the conflicting relationship human beings have with petrol, citing it as an, “unusual love affair.” Despite our collective awareness of oil’s detrimental impact, we cling to it, not only as a resource, but a representation of cultural solace as well. The event ended with a Q&A where Tondre addressed corporate greenwashing, oil’s life cycle being represented in media, petro-capitalism, and his initial source of inspiration, Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel, Oil! Having the opportunity to attend such an informative and fascinating event, with distinct relevance to Earth Day, was an absolute privilege. Professor Tondre’s attentive work as a writer and professor will always be a source of inspiration to petro-students and readers of Oil alike.

A Poetry Reading with Professor Eric Wertheimer

On April 16th in the Poetry Center, the English Department held a Poetry Reading from Professor Eric Wertheimer’s works Mylar (2012) and Regulus (2018). Though Wertheimer’s scholarship in early and nineteenth century American literature is at the forefront of his work in the academic field, his poetry is an endeavor of artistic and personal expression while taking inspiration from his expertise. With topics ranging from fatherhood, the influence of language, nostalgia, the nuance of consciousness, and our presence on the planet, both Mylar and Regulus have the linguistic and emotional capacity to speak to all readers. 

The event began with an introduction from the Director of the English Department, Professor Benedict Robinson. Quoting Wertheimer’s poem, “Trench”, Robinson referenced the etymology and literary use of the word “planked”, specifically in the work of Seamus Heaney. Robinson introduced the theme of intersections between academic scholarship and poetry within Wertheimer’s works, stating he, “resists the heavy language of the past”, rethinking the legacy of empire and colonialism.

Before beginning to read his work, Wertheimer spoke of the refuge he found within Stony Brook’s English Department as a faculty member and his ability to flourish both professionally and creatively. He began by reading from Mylar with the poem, “The World”, which reminisces on a childhood friend of his who suffered from a tumor. Speaking on nostalgia as well as the brutality that can be present in medicine, Wertheimer’s first reading was enthralling and poignant. The following poems from Mylar focused on Wertheimer’s experience as a father, his children’s first experiences with language and how they added nuance to his understanding of it. Additionally, many of Wertheimer’s poems intersperse imagery referencing all facets of the natural world, bridging the audience’s imagination of the planet with interpersonal relationships.

Wertheimer read interchangeably from both Mylar and Regulus with the spontaneity only a poet could possess. Regulus continues to touch on the themes explored in Mylar in addition to an emphasis on early Western history. Another poem, “Ideology of Sky”, was inspired by the painting “Regulus” by J. M. W. Turner, displayed on the cover and offering the book’s namesake. “Ideology of Sky” references the past and the uncertainty of connection, using natural imagery to do so; this is most clearly laid out with the lines, “At the 15th ecliptic constellation of Babylonia, // where horizons sprout horizons, // the gems ambiguate Carthage; // they guide me to heliacal rising of the // morning, and the slunk storm of your brow”.

The event closed off with a time for questions, where Wertheimer discussed his journey with the act of writing poetry and the events that shifted his perspective on language and history. In response to Professor Robinson’s introduction, Wertheimer spoke on his work within academia as well as poetry, saying both fields allow for completely different methods of expression. I highly recommend reading Professor Wertheimer’s poetry, but in all honesty, nothing will beat hearing it from the man himself.

Student Spotlight: Alyssa Pascocello

Alyssa Pascocello

Alyssa Pascocello is an honors student, Assistant Copy Chief for The Statesman, and a student teacher preparing to graduate in May. Months after finishing the thesis writing process, she is just as passionate about uplifting feminist literature as well as her students.

What were the most challenging and most fulfilling aspects of writing an undergraduate thesis? 

If I had to choose two words that best reflected what the thesis writing process was like, I would say both laborious and rewarding. I constantly found myself struggling with time management as well as re-organizing the ideas that were frequently popping up in my head. Nonetheless, I would say that it was equally, if not more gratifying because I was able to bridge my research interests in feminist and literary theories with my career aspirations. The crux of my thesis concerns the intersections between critical consciousness pedagogy and new historicism, which is a literary theory that examines how the cultural forces at work during a text’s literary production influences its overall content. In addressing how new criticism, which is the de facto norm for literary approaches and interpretation in the secondary classroom, has contrasting attributes compared to new historicism, I championed a critical pedagogy in the 11th grade English classroom that allows students to develop and practice critical consciousness skills while consuming early modern literature.

How did your thesis topic change over time, and why? 

I would say that the largest change I made was in regards to the texts that I chose to work with. Originally, I was planning on comparatively analyzing two proto-feminist tracks written by early modern writers Moderata Fonte and Lucrezia Marinella of the Italian Renaissance. However, midway through the thesis writing process, I ultimately chose to swap Marinella’s tract with William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. I felt compelled to make the change because of how cemented and dominant Shakespeare continues to be in 21st century curricula. Critical consciousness can allow students to develop the necessary cognitive skills to “read the world” and more importantly, see themselves reflected back in the literature they consume. In considering how students, especially today, will encounter assimilationist paradigms and fail to connect with the literature that they are exposed to, especially some works of classical literature, I was concerned with how reading early modern literature through a critical new historicist lens can positively benefit students who struggle to see the benefits of reading Shakespeare and other foundational authors.

What drew you to become an English teacher? 

Originally, I never wanted to be an English teacher. It was not something I felt a genuine passion for until much later in life. However, I have always loved being a student and I have always really connected with and felt like I benefited from being a lifelong learner, both in and outside of the classroom.  I could say that my interest in pursuing a career as an English teacher can be traced back to my first time watching the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. Even though I already knew I loved English as a subject and reading diverse perspectives, I knew then and there it was important for me to establish a classroom that was both academically rigorous and rewarding. Watching how the brilliant Robin Williams connected with each of his students academically and personally, I felt compelled to do the same, but in my own fashion. I immediately felt driven to pursue this as a career and make a positive difference in the lives of kids who need a presence like his to encourage and challenge them on the day-to-day.

How has student teaching been so far? 

I honestly feel very fortunate to have had a wonderful experience thus far and I’m not even a full two months into the student teaching practicum. My cooperating teacher is accommodating, resourceful, and beyond understanding and the kids are an absolute delight to work with. I’ve known student teachers in the past that had cooperating teachers who ran a tight ship and allowed for very little input or modifications on their lesson plans, so I feel incredibly lucky to have an amazing mentor. It’s infinitely better than I could’ve ever imagined and it is so liberating to be doing meaningful work while forming personalized connections with my students. I will miss them so much when graduation rolls around in May.

Lastly, what are you reading at the moment? 

On a classroom level, we recently completed a mini-unit on J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. They also did a comparative analysis assignment which put the book and the film into conversation with each other. On a leisurely note, I recently started reading Joseph Campbell’s Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine. I was already familiar with Campbell’s past works, namely The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Power of Myth, so I’m excited to see the journey he takes me on.

Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Vestuto

Jessica Vestuto

Jessica Vestuto is a Stony Brook English BA alum and currently an editor for Mariner Books, a HarperCollins imprint. A former writer for the Stony Brook Press, Jessica has always believed in “the power of the pen.” 

 

 

What was your career journey like? How did you land on Stony Brook, decide to be an English major, and eventually go into publishing? 

Both my mom and my sister went there, and they were both English majors, so I knew for a fact that they had great professors and a really great program. It was like a financial thing too, [to] have such a high quality education and not go into so much debt was really important to me and I’m so grateful for [that] in the long run. I always loved writing in high school, I was very involved in the school paper. Sometime during my undergrad I discovered what an MFA in creative nonfiction was and it was one of those moments of, “that’s what I want to do.” That became my goal the whole time I was there. I was taking English courses, writing on the side, and working towards trying to get into those programs. I ended up going to Emerson, but the summer before that program started, […] I decided to do an internship at a publisher, at FSG, which is an imprint at Macmillan. When I was there, I [saw] what other editorial systems and editors were doing and I really fell in love with it. I still did my MFA, which was great, and at the same time I was working for a publisher in Boston.

What are your interests, what projects do you tend to be the most drawn to?

I do mostly literary fiction; as opposed to commercial fiction [which is] a little bit more story-driven, [literary fiction is] usually more of the voice and the characters than the plot. I do mostly debut authors which I really love. I’m interested in the intellectual breadth that a person can have and how long they can, hopefully for a very long time, be writing books. I’m always drawn to someone whose mind I really admire. It’s usually a little dark and a little weird, a little off-kilter. That’s the stuff that really excites me. One example is I’m working on a book [that] has vampires, but it’s playing with vampire tropes and subverts our expectation of what we think would happen to say something about culture, society, and politics.

How has your experience as an undergrad at Stony Brook benefitted you at HarperCollins? 

I learned how to speak and write about books, and that’s the foundation of everything I do now. So much of my job is hands-on, either through the jacket copy or in meetings with sales reps, I’m just trying to convince people to spend time and money on a book. I was really lucky to work with professors who encouraged me to read what I love, organize my thoughts, and express them effectively. That really shaped my editorial sensibilities. Also writing at the Stony Brook Press, I think that was the first time I really fell in love with the act of publishing something. Seeing my writing turn into a tangible object that other people could read — it’s the same thrilling feeling I get when a book I acquired comes from the printer, it just never gets old.

Lastly, what are you reading at the moment? 

I’m reading Human Acts by Han Kang. She wrote The Vegetarian and won the Booker [Prize for fiction in 2016], then the Nobel Prize [in literature] this year. She is brilliant in thinking about the world. I’m reading Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar too, that’s really good. One weird, fun book I’m reading is Jean Stein’s biography of Edie Sedgwick [Edie: An American Biography]. It’s a string of interviews edited together as one continuous conversation, it’s like a gossipy, illicit game of telephone that’s really fun to read.

Grad Student Spotlight: Felicia Nadel

 

Felicia Nadel

Felicia is currently a Teaching Assistant at Stony Brook working on her dissertation for the English PhD program. With a focus on ecofeminism, imperialism and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, Felicia writes with purpose. 

 

What are your specializations and topics of interest as well as what you’re currently working on? 

I’m in my second year of the English PhD, so I’m ending the coursework period this semester and starting to gather people I’ll be working with on my dissertation committee. I’m really interested in a lot of queer spaces and queer world building theory that came out of the community grappling with AIDS in the 80s and 90s. I’m interested in using it to think about psychologically processing the climate crisis that we’re in. I recently wrote the “Thread Moving Through the Hole” essay, [it’s about] me processing loss of snow, processes of immigration, and how we contextualize what’s happening around us. It’s definitely in its very early stages — over the summer is where I’m reading and researching and in a focused way. A lot of ecofeminist theories that are rooted in race relations and imperialism — you can’t disconnect them.

What led you to go for doctoral studies?

Going back to [the question of] how can you be effective, what kind of person are you? I’m almost 30, so I have done different things since college. I was mostly working at queer bars or on women or indigenous-led farms and switching between those two roles after college, but always working on writing. I still think those forms of work aren’t things that I’m leaving behind. I definitely see a future still working on farms in the summer. Now I work at a literary café […] very engaged in New York queer scenes and activist scenes. Reading, writing, and teaching about the issues that matter to me has always been something that I know I am nourished by. I also really like being with students and forming relationships that will help them […] move in the world in a way that is kinder to it.

Speaking of students, versus your time as a student and now being a Teaching Assistant interacting with humanities students, what have you noticed students today facing? Are there any notable differences, or do you kind of feel like it’s more or less the same experience? 

It’s definitely not the same experience, which is crazy because I’m only 10 years older than everyone in college. Students appear to be more anxious and feel very scared about messing up, [they] don’t seem to have a lot of confidence or training in their ability to write. They’re fully capable of it, […] I do think that it is a newer trend of a heightened sense of perfectionism. I’m friends with teachers who have been teaching for 30 years who do effort-based grading, and I think that would produce a different type of student in a good way.

What drew you to Stony Brook? I know you’ve been in a lot of different locations, is there anything about this school that stood out to you in terms of PhD programs?

There are things about this program that are really great. The English and the Gender Studies programs are really interconnected here. Also, when I was applying to PhD programs, it was important for me to write in ways that are academic, but are not really what the academy wants you to do. I really love theory or academic writing that is narrative [like] poetry or theory work that’s image-based. I specifically wanted to keep going through [the PhD program] one, because I want to teach at universities, but two, I want to learn to write that way and that writing training. So far I’ve been able to already start working on that writing, and for all of my coursework, instead of a classic final, I’ve gotten to experiment with different types of that kind of writing [surrounding] my dissertation project. I do already feel like I’ve been getting training in trying to write that way, so that’s been cool.

Lastly, what are you reading at the moment? 

Right now I am reading a transnational feminism of the Americas book. One of my favorite theory books is No Archive Will Restore You by Julietta Singh. Getting to return to Toni Morrison in our class [Single Author] is really nice. One of my classes is a teaching practicum figuring out how to teach with feminist pedagogy, so lots of different things.