Date of Award

12-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

English

Abstract

Tamsyn Muir, author of The Locked Tomb, says she thinks of Biblical allusions in the same way she thinks of alluding to digital folklore. This research paper investigates the veracity of this claim, using the dual lenses of literary analysis and digital folklore studies to ultimately conclude that the broad range of intertextual references in The Locked Tomb exemplifies a broader strategy of ambivalence (e.g., in her tone) that disrupts the readerly experience. With these ruptures, Muir creates space away from the typical expectations that may limit the range of themes historically found in genre fiction. Therefore, her tonal and allusive strategy of ambivalence is in direct support of her thematic goals of representing her own experiences growing up as a messy lesbian.

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Faculty Mentor

Shane Graham

Departmental Honors Advisor

Travis Franks