Date of Award

Spring 2020

Document Type

Thesis Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

Committee Chairperson

Peter Duval, M.F.A., M.A.

Committee Member

Cherise Pollard, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Eric Dodson-Robinson, Ph.D.

Abstract

When putting together a story, my primary interest has always been to entertain my audience. Instead of preaching a deeper messages or offering up a harsh character study, I favor neatly paced adventures with likable characters, close friends who can count on each other even in the direst of situations. Therefore, it is important for me to avoid becoming too dark or pretentious, instead upholding a positive view of people, society, and hope for the future. For my thesis, I have turned to the movie serials of the 1940’s and 1950’s which enthralled young movie goers of the time. Drawing their audiences back to local theaters week after week, such visionaries as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have cited the roles of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and Zorro Rides Again in their development of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. I have turned to the character of Commando Cody, a rocket-suited hero who fought evil such as the nefarious Doctor Vulcan. By inserting the two characters into the classic adventure Mysterious Doctor Satan, I have attempted to revive the genre as a form of pure entertainment that can help people escape their troubles for a few hours.

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