Jessie Hethcoat (Amanda Blas | THE BEACON)
By Kate Peifer, Staff Writer -- peifer14@up.edu
Senior English major Jessie Hethcoat upheld her commitment to feminism when she chose her senior capstone project.
Hethcoat decided to research American poetess Anne Sexton, whose central themes of the 60s deal with death and women's issues such as menstruation and abortion.
"I'm obsessed with feminism and I wanted to do something with gender," Hethcoat said.
The hefty title of Hethcoat's capstone, "Of Apples and Oranges: Reimagining Eve in Anne Sexton's Female Postmodern Sublime," compares Sexton to other female poets.
"I looked at existentialism and feminism and came to the conclusion that she (Sexton) was saying women conceptualize death differently because they can give birth," Hethcoat said. "It's a circular model to life since a woman can procreate as opposed to a linear model that just ends."
According to Hethcoat, Sexton's ideas of the 60s are finding their way into today's society, making them relevant as ever.
"Everyone is really into 'Mad Men' (a television show set in the 1960s) and we're seeing a lot of those ideas Sexton addresses, especially in the Republican primaries," Hethcoat said.
Hethcoat said her capstone became the highlight of her college experience though it took a lot of hard work.
"It definitely helped me discover myself," Hethcoat said. "If you leave it all to the end, you can finish it but your final product may not be something you're proud of."
Hethcoat will present her senior capstone on Founders Day in Franz 206 from 10:15 - 11:05 a.m.
