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Kimberly Enoch ’04 (Hatboro, Pa.) is examining theatrical elements in the works of 19th century literary giants Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott for a yearlong independent research project at Lafayette.
Enoch, a double major in English and American studies, is being mentored by Laura Walls, professor of English.
“When these authors were writing in mid-nineteenth century America, theater was the predominant form of entertainment. I am ultimately looking to find a reason behind the use of theatrical metaphors in the texts of the time and asking whether writers purposefully crafted their texts with some knowledge of theater and/or performance theory,” explains Enoch.
She was inspired to delve deeper into the topic after taking a class with Walls.
“Kim was intrigued by the use of theatricality in the literature of the time,” says Walls. “She wrote a paper that really broke new ground. She came back to me and inquired about expanding her range to explore the use of theater as a constant metaphor in the works of these particular authors.”
Enoch is tackling a wide range of topics including history of the nineteenth-century theater, the trappings of performances, the lives of actors, and the idea of performances in the popular imagination, which served a similar role to television today.
Says Enoch, “My project includes interdisciplinary study between English theater and sociology and anthropology, which takes my understanding of the topic to a different level. I am trying to bridge the social and historical with the literature of the time, attempting to get inside the heads of Hawthorne, Alcott, and Whitman.”
Her research has led her to many primary sources, including works found at the Lincoln Center Archives in New York City.
Enoch credits her adviser with offering her personalized guidance on the project, which, if successful, will allow her to graduate with honors in English.
“Professor Walls provides an understanding of the period, particularly its literature and history. Overall, she supplies a sense of support in terms of my research, as she is herself an accomplished scholar. While at times my research may seem daunting and frustrating, Professor Walls is always there to encourage me,” she says.
With plans to attend law school, Enoch feels that the liberal arts education she has received at Lafayette and the high quality of research completed will be great preparation for the rigors of her next academic experience.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that have arisen as a result of my attending Lafayette. The close contact with professors and the general atmosphere of support of student work both lend themselves to students’ academic successes,” she says.
Enoch is secretary/treasurer of Panhellenic Council, a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and Cadence, Lafayette’s female a cappella group, and is conducting research with James Woolley, Frank Lee and Edna M. Smith Professor of English. She is a former Writing Associate.
She is a graduate of Upper Moreland High School.
Honors theses are among several major programs that have made Lafayette a national leader in undergraduate research. The College sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Over the past five years, more than 130 Lafayette students have presented results from research conducted with faculty mentors, or under their guidance, at the conference.