Dissertation Update

Dear Readers:


I have updates with respect to my dissertation. After sending all of the chapters to my dissertation director earlier this week, she has approved three sections so far to be sent to the committee. This is very exciting, because the wheels are certainly turning! I e-mailed the Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 to all of the committee members, and I am anxiously awaiting comments and responses. Chapter 1 is currently titled "The Siren’s Hybrid Lineage of Body and Text in Adelaida García Morales’s El silencio de las sirenas" and for now, Chapter 2 has been titled "Male Anxiety and Women’s Gaze: Transformations of the Femme Fatale within Ana María Moix’s Las virtudes peligrosas". As far as the overall title for the dissertation, I am still brainstorming; it is definitely no easy feat, given that the naming of this textual body will follow me for the rest of my life. 


As I reflect on the still ongoing process, I think about some of the difficulties and challenges I have faced during these past four years. One of them has been my writing environment. After finishing my comprehensive exams, I have worked steadily as a Spanish Language Adjunct and as a Language Lab Coordinator for the Arts and Humanities Department  at the University of Houston-Downtown, and I also lecture at the University of Houston for the  Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program. With such a busy schedule, it was only during the infrequent moments in which there were no interruptions while at the lab that allowed just enough time for me to make any sort of progress. Even so, my windowless office has often made it particularly hard to feel inspired, as the natural world is completely shut out. Still, I have slowly, slowly typed away. But just to give you a glimpse of my dark cave, you can see a picture of  my office below, and I am sure you will agree that is has to be a trying experience to be locked away for so many hours during the week. 

Well, there is still much to do; so, I will say good-bye for now. I hope to share more news with you soon! Thank you for reading my blog, and if you have not yet added your name as a follower of my blog, I would really appreciate your support.


Best,
Sylvia