The UBC Department of English Language and Literatures is proud to highlight the creative insights and academic achievements of our students. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kailey Bernard, a graduate of the Honours English Literature program whose previous work has been published in the Arts One academic journal. She is currently pursuing further studies through the UBC Bachelor + Master of Management Dual Degree (B+MM) at the Sauder School of Business. She also enjoys listening to ancient history podcasts in her spare time.
Scroll down to read the complete written interview, where Kailey reflects on her research process, using the critical theories of Julia Kristeva to analyze the creative work of novelist Hanya Yanagihara.
What is the title of your honours thesis?
Monstrous Other: The Unchanging Disgusting in Yanagihara’s A Little Life
What interested you in this topic? Why did you choose it for your thesis?
I had read the novel a few times before choosing it for my thesis and knew that I wanted a chance to explore it more in depth. I have also been fascinated with the idea of the “monstrous” as a category since my Arts One course. When I realized the two ideas could be combined, I knew I had an idea I wanted to pursue.
What was your favourite part of the research process?
My favourite part of the research process was getting to know the frameworks that I was using in a more comprehensive way. This included spending a lot of time with Julia Kristeva’s work, learning and relearning the concepts so I could apply them to my thesis.
Where do you hope to go next with your research or career?
I am currently a master’s of management student, and I would like to get a job where I am able to use my skills in research, information analysis, and writing.
What advice would you give to someone who is excited but nervous about writing their honours thesis next year?
I would recommend looking at your thesis as a learning opportunity. You need to be ready to rewrite sections and come up with new ideas. Be ready for parts of your thesis not to work. It’s a challenging experience, but also very rewarding, and your supervisor is there to help.
