Daily Archives: September 21, 2025

White Paper: When Beloved Works Are Rejected: Authors, Audiences, and the Tension of Reception

Posted on September 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Abstract Many artists face the paradox of finding their most personally meaningful works dismissed, misunderstood, or rejected by their audiences. This white paper examines this phenomenon through two case studies: Budd Schulberg’s What Makes Sammy Run?—which portrays the disillusionment of … Continue reading →

Posted in Graduate School, History, Musings, On Creativity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Two Trees and the Rhetoric of Familiarity: Contrasting Strategies in Religious Communication

Posted on September 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Religious communication often navigates a paradox: audiences hunger for both novelty and continuity. The biblical imagery of the two trees in Eden—the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—provides fertile ground for … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings, On Creativity | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Politics of Jane Austen’s Novels: Characterization, Plot, and Social Commentary

Posted on September 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Abstract Jane Austen’s novels are often read as timeless romances, yet beneath the surface lies a careful engagement with the political realities of her age. Without overt polemic, Austen embeds commentary on property, class, gender, authority, and social mobility into … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Psychological Implications of Young Adult and Teen Protagonists as Saviors in YA Literature

Posted on September 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Young Adult (YA) literature—particularly dystopian and fantasy works—frequently casts adolescent or teenage protagonists as society’s last hope. From Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games to Harry Potter in Harry Potter, this narrative choice has shaped generations of readers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Graduate School, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Paper: The Geopolitics of Beowulf: Lessons from the Poem and the Germanic Legendary World

Posted on September 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The Old English epic Beowulf is often read as heroic poetry, an allegory of Christian virtue, or a martial narrative of monsters and heroes. Yet beneath its surface lies a sophisticated meditation on geopolitics, power, and inter-polity relations … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment