Date of Award

1-1-1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

English

Abstract

This dissertation, entitled Loopscripting: Theory and Practice of Repetition in the Literary Text, consists of three parts: theoretical chapters examining concepts of repetition and recursion; two one-act plays and an autobiographical narrative, three texts which attempt to demonstrate a methodology of loopscriting; and commentary on the creative writing efforts. This creative writing project is a attempt to develop a relationship between literary art and the fields of mathematics, psychology, philosophy, and music.Creative writers constantly seek ways to structure, order, and relate their ideas after initial creative impulses. In this dissertation, I attempt to chart a creative process in the development of loopscript construction. A loopscript is a narrative--fictional, dramatic, or otherwise--that depends on repetition or recursion for its main structural element. In this project, disciplines such as philosophy, mathematics, and music were examined to discover relevant concepts of recursive structures, patterning, and repetition, concepts which might have some utility for a creative writer; these concepts are discussed in the first four chapters.Words and Just a Couple Colleagues Sitting Around Talking Tautology are two one-act plays that demonstrate experimentation with varying degrees of repetition. "Listening for the Father's Voice" is an autobiographical narrative demonstrating repetition in nonfiction prose. Commentary follows each creative writing effort.Loopscripting is an attempt to bridge the gap that often separates literary creativity and such fields as mathematics, philosophy, and psychology, and thus is an attempt to establish a cross-disciplinary approach to creative writing.

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