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Date Permissions Signed

5-13-2022

Date of Award

Spring 2022

Document Type

Masters Thesis (Campus-Only Access)

Department or Program Affiliation

Creative Writing

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

English

First Advisor

Araki-Kawaguchi, Kiik, 1983-

Second Advisor

Magee, Kelly, 1976-

Third Advisor

Rivera, Lysa M.

Abstract

Bitter Roots is a point-and-click visual novel video game with three major branching narratives. The thesis portion of Bitter Roots follows Jamie as she attempts to rescue her boyfriend, Bobby, who went missing after the diner they work at began serving meat from trees. Major themes explored throughout the game include exploitation under capitalism, environmental degradation, and systemic injustice. As the story progresses, player choices expand the narrative into multiple branches and endings, some better than others. Choice differentiates game writing from other forms of storytelling. Rather than monopolize the storyline, branching narratives fracture plot and declare all endings to be equal. They decenter the author as sole storyteller by elevating the reader to the position of player. In this way, branching narratives offer a form of resistance against dominant cultural narratives involving patriarchy, consumerism, classicism, heteronormativity, and whiteness.

Type

Text

Keywords

creative writing, fiction, horror, satire, humor, video game, visual novel, pixel art, fast food

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1319732321

Subject – LCSH

Video games in literature; Creative writing; Diners (Restaurants)--Fiction; Man-woman relationships in literature

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/

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