Adhans & Orgasms

Authors

Emily JalloulFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Major/Program

Creative Writing

First Advisor's Name

Campbell McGrath

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Denise Duhamel

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Maneck Daruwala

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Date of Defense

3-3-2017

Abstract

ADHANS & ORGASMS is a collection that includes both free verse and prose poetry. The poems shape the Florida landscape as well as cultural aspects of the speaker’s home life, providing insight to the hyphenated space between Arab and American societies. The frequent use of the female perspective and humor inform the speaker of her own past, while portraying a woman at odds with a patriarchal society.

Many of the poems explore the self through pop-culture, sexuality, and heritage. ADHANS & ORGASMS discusses the family unit’s dysfunction as it tries to bridge cultures. Romantic relationships are examined, and many of the poems consider the male muse in an effort to reverse societal expectations with unexpected subversion by turning the lens to focus on the male body.

ADHANS & ORGASMS has a variety of influences, especially third-wave feminist voices such as Elizabeth Bishop, Dorianne Laux, and Sharon Olds. Cultural poems were influenced by Richard Blanco and Naomi Shihab Nye.

Identifier

FIDC001807

Recommended Citation

Jalloul, Emily, "Adhans & Orgasms" (2017). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3264.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3264