The Mason Jar

Abstract

My idea of original research for this thesis project was to search inside of myself to create a work of art that is my very own: a culmination of some of the most important lessons I have learned in my life up until now, especially during my time as an undergraduate at Baylor University. The connecting strand between all of the short stories in my collection is the very idea of human connectedness itself—something that I have come to understand as both difficult to achieve, but absolutely necessary in order to live a fulfilling life. These stories explore the different ways in which people obtain or struggle to obtain this by concentrating on simple, realistic situations and the emotions that constantly turn and shift underneath the surface. The Mason Jar works to authentically portray suffering and the difficulties people face in attempting to connect with one another, as well as uphold the hope of reconciliation—which often appears in ways that one does not expect.