Sting of the Gallfly
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Graduation Year
2023
Writing Track
Fiction
Degree
Master of Fine Arts
Program
Creative Writing
Program Director
Judy Halebsky, PhD
First Reader
Claudia Morales, PhD
Second Reader
Judy Halebsky, PhD
Description
This thesis contains the first volume of Sting of the Gallfly, a work of fantasy fiction with a setting inspired by marginalia in gothic medieval manuscripts. A child’s drawing comes to life with a dangerous appetite, causing her to flee her monastic home. She meets a thief on the road with secrets of his own, and the two embark on a journey to earn their livings and make their names in a mysterious and sinister world. Their story centers on evolving worldviews as they each come into their own and learn to accept nuance. The plot is heavily tied to the concept of dualisms, with a major goal of the narrative being to explore complications, quirks, and muddling events. These story turns expose the different sides of characters, forcing them to play multiple roles and occupy simultaneous realities, just as gothic illuminations supported and lampooned the reverent texts they accompanied. Additional themes include creativity, respect, and meaning making. This first volume follows the characters at their youngest and most vulnerable in a journey through bleak countryside. Their world is made up of stinking mud and freezing rain, and even in places of shelter, the food supply runs low. In such circumstances, the two protagonists must learn to accept the pain they encounter without being defined by it.