▼ This paper is a critique of the way issues of diet and exercise are discussed in contemporary society. My analysis centers around the use of metaphor in media discourse to propagate certain ideological frameworks that are beneficial for the continued success of consumer culture. I draw my data from diet books, health, beauty, and fitness magazines, group exercise classes, television, and my own experience. The fact that much of the secondary literature I consulted speaks of women’s experiences makes this paper appear female-centered, although I specifically address both genders in my argument since both women and men feel pressure to "enhance" their appearance. This study finds the overall message of diet and exercise discourse to be harmful to individuals, since it engenders body-focused anxieties and supports the adoption of extreme or unhealthy body-enhancing practices. I conclude by suggesting an alternative metaphor that offers a more positive way to conceptualize body work. Advisors/Committee Members: Rahman, Dr. Jacquelyn.

▼ This project is an attempt to grapple with one of the most perplexing of Old English heroic poems, known today simply as Exodus. This 590 line work is an adaptation of the Biblical account of the Israelite escape from captivity in Egypt and their subsequent flight through the wilderness, climaxing with that most iconic of Old Testament images, the parting of the Red Sea. My reading differs from conventional scholarly attempts at interpreting the work not in the details, but on a more fundamental level. There is little doubt among scholars today that the poem’s perplexing and riddlesome passages are typological allusions, but there has been little attempt to unify all of these poetic nuances into a coherent narrative. My approach aims to unify all of the riddlesome aspects of the work by reading the poem as a riddle itself. This riddle exists as a vehicle to challenge readers in their thinking, their knowledge of theology, and how they will respond to such knowledge in their own personal behavior. Advisors/Committee Members: Murphy, Patrick.