Synaptic

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the 41st edition of The Writing Anthology. Founded in 1981 by now-retired Central College professor Dr. Walter Cannon, The Writing Anthology is a collection of exceptional student work from across the liberal arts curriculum. After reviewing dozens of submissions, our team selected the following pieces for inclusion in this year’s anthology. The difficulty of this selection process is a testament to the excellent quality of student writing at Central College, and we are immensely proud of all the hard work of our peers. This year, we also honor the life of Central College alumna, Renee Van Roekel. During her time at Central College, Renee left a lasting impact on her professors.

Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus is most famous for his proclamation that “change is the only constant.” He’s lesser known for his more eccentric belief that fire is the origin of all things inhabiting the universe. But while unpopular, does it not resonate with us more? This past year has felt much like an inferno, all of us caught in the flames of rapid, life-altering shifts to our routine. Although sudden and devastating, such destruction brings the invaluable opportunity to start over again. That’s why we are especially proud to present this anthology as the student works within it contain the very essence of positive change. Take for instance Matthew Dickinson’s piece “Black Panther, Whitewashing: Colonialism and Neocolonialism Ideals in Marvel’s Black Panther” or Grace Patrick-West’s work “The Realm of Faeries: Queerness and Neurodivergence in Jane Eyre,” which both cleverly seize this tense political moment to direct the regrowth of our blooming new normal. Or look upon Ally Madsen’s mesmerizing paintings of two blue hands clasped together– a powerful, sorely needed symbol of love after more than a year spent six feet apart from each other. Though they vary in genre and style, these collected pieces are united by the common goal of educating, persuading, and informing our healing world. Most importantly, beyond providing us with the mere hope that things will get better, the works in this anthology begin to show us how.

As times change and technology advances, so must The Writing Anthology. We are excited to publish The Writing Anthology’s first ever audio submission, in the form of a radio essay. Sarah Behren captures timeless family memories in her piece “Route 48.” This piece, along with digital versions of the rest of the anthology selections and artwork, can be found at Central.edu/anthology. The website is also home to digital versions of previous anthologies, all the way back to 1990.

Each year, the John Allen Award is awarded to a piece of student writing that the selection panel deems to have superior rhetorical competence, high levels of readability, originality, and insight. This year, we are pleased to announce that Emma Chervek will receive this honor. Emma’s essay “Environmental Minimalism and Inspirational Wonder in Paradise Lost” is an intriguing and inventive analysis of Milton’s epic poem, as well as the very embodiment of a phoenix rising from our man-made ashes. By connecting valid environmental sustainability concerns to the skillful artistry of Milton’s evergreen work, Emma inspires readers to examine their impact on their home planet. Emma’s incredible command of language and astute analytical skills entrance the audience. Through her powerful insights, Emma effectively prompts us to wonder what we could do better, and subsequently rise to the challenge.

We would like to congratulate all of our student contributors and thank them for putting forward such exceptional work. Furthermore, we would like to thank all the professors who acknowledged these pieces and submitted them to our reviewing. Also, thanks are in order to Mat Kelly, Associate Professor of Art, for supplying the student art nominations. We are delighted to showcase outstanding student visual and written work together in this publication. Finally, we want to extend our gratitude to Steffanie Bonnstetter for her advising, and to Jordan Bohr and the student workers of the Central College Communications Office for their excellent work in bringing The Writing Anthology’s website to fruition. Above all, we would like to express our appreciation for our faculty advisors Dr. Valerie Billing and Dr. Sarah Van Waardhuizen. Thank you for your hard work, guidance, and adaptability. Again, our sincerest thanks go out to everyone who made this publication possible. We hope you enjoy the 2021 anthology!

Emma Alex Carlson ‘23

Gabrielle Anderson ‘22

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