Creative Works: Mental Health, Diversity, and Activism
Mental Health: The Bell Jar (novel) explores depression and mental health treatment. , Black Swan (film) shows the psychological effects of mental health challenges on artistic pursuits.
Diversity: Americanah (novel) examines race, identity, and belonging in a multicultural society.
Activism: The Grapes of Wrath (novel) exposes social injustices faced by migrant workers and calls for change.
Creative Works: Topic: Mental Health
Creative Work: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963)
Subject Area: Literary arts (novel)
Description: This semi-autobiographical novel explores the protagonist Esther Greenwood's descent into depression and her experiences undergoing mental health treatment in the 1950s. Through vivid imagery and stream-of-consciousness narration, Plath captures the complexities of mental illness and its impact on an individual's life.
Creative Work: Black Swan (2010)
Subject Area: Performing arts (film)
Description: This psychological thriller tells the story of Nina Sayers, a ballerina struggling with anxiety and perfectionism as she prepares for the lead role in Swan Lake. The film's dark and disturbing visuals and Natalie Portman's powerful performance effectively depict the psychological effects of mental health challenges on the pursuit of artistic excellence.
Topic: Diversity - Creative Work: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)
Subject Area: Literary arts (novel)
Description: This novel follows the story of Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who immigrates to the United States and navigates the complexities of race, identity, and belonging in a multicultural society. Adichie's insightful prose and nuanced characters offer a powerful exploration of diversity and its various dimensions.
Topic: Activism - Creative Work: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939)
Subject Area: Literary arts (novel)
Description: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel depicts the struggles of the Joad family, tenant farmers forced to migrate from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression. Steinbeck's powerful prose and poignant characters expose the social injustices and economic hardships faced by migrant workers and serve as a call to action for social change