Shadows of the Morning Twilight

Authors

Philip A. LaPadulaFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Major/Program

Creative Writing

First Advisor's Name

Prof. Lynne Barrett

First Advisor's Committee Title

committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Prof. John Dufresne

Second Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Prof. Mark Kelley

Third Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Keywords

short stories, fiction, historical, transitions, identities, gay

Date of Defense

3-4-2021

Abstract

Shadows of the Morning Twilight is a collection of seven short stories and one novella about men who, facing transitions in their lives and in society, grapple with issues of sexual identity, residency, past traumas, and corruption. In the noir-influenced title novella, Nick Esposito, a mid-1970s journalism student, faces dangerous choices when he reports on the sale of a gay bar that is covertly owned by the mafia. Some characters see themselves as trapped. In “Final Score,” a former football player struggling with dementia finds a reason to live when he mentors a young gay man. In “Psyched,” “Phantoms of Alligator Alley,” and “Blood Brothers,” sudden recognition scenes that draw upon Flannery O’Connor’s dramatic structures reveal characters’ true identities, leading to new possibilities. Shadows of the Morning Twilight examines the surprising ways that characters can connect as secrets spill out into the sunlight, transforming lives.

Identifier

FIDC009568

Recommended Citation

LaPadula, Philip A., "Shadows of the Morning Twilight" (2021). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4684.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4684