Graduate Project

Black dogs

Black Dogs is a collection of short stories representing my exaggerated interpretations of three themes associated with self-destructive behavior: addiction, codependency, and self-entitlement. Theses individual themes are prominent subject matter in three standalone works of fiction that also form a story cycle. Emulated by three protagonists, these themes wreak havoc on personal, social, and emotional levels for several characters throughout each story, until the protagonists are confronted with their and given the opportunity to correct it. However, due to their incapability to change, the protagonists face insurmountable consequences that, ultimately, lead to their demise. This collection acts as personal commentary on certain aspects of the self-destructive attributes that I have experienced firsthand or have witnessed. I wanted to infuse my personal experiences and views regarding the three themes within my prose and utilize elements of the Southern gothic, satire, and the grotesque to convey them.

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