Wide Angle
A joint publication between English majors and faculty, the journal embodies the interdisciplinary nature of the Department of English at Samford University. It provides a venue for all Samford students, faculty, and staff to publish their best critical and creative work.
Literature and film continually reimagine an ever-changing world, and through our research we discover our relationships to those art forms and the cultures they manifest. Publishing one issue each semester, Wide Angle serves as a conduit for the expression and critique of that imagination. A joint publication between English majors and faculty, the journal embodies the interdisciplinary nature of the Department of English at Samford University. It provides a venue for undergraduate research, an opportunity for English majors to gain experience in the business of editing and publishing, and a forum for all students, faculty, and staff to publish their best work. As a wide-angle lens captures a broad field of vision, this journal expands its focus to include critical and creative works, namely academic essays, book and film reviews, and commentaries, as well as original poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, short films, and screenplays.
Current Issue
Literature
Lindsey Brodt
“The Perpetuation of Trauma Through Silence: An Examination of the Role of Storytelling in The Kite Runner”
Claire Davis
“Prospero as the Philosopher Prince: An Examination of Machiavellianism and Platonism in Shakespeare’s The Tempest”
Emily London
“Heart of Obscurity: Linguistic Ambiguity in Heart of Darkness”
Margaret Mason
“Bronte ‘Eyres’ Out Victorian Class Oppression: Economic Liminality in Jane Eyre”
Caleb Punt
“Truth, Power, and Social Boundaries: A Foucauldian Reading of the Gospel of Mark”
Margaret Schultz
“‘Good Fetch’d Out of Evil’: A Comparison of Indian Captivity Narratives”
Emily Youree
“Necessary Evil: A Reader-Response View of Richard III”
Film
David W. Chapman
Review of Carceral Fantasies: Cinema and Prison in Early Twentieth-Century America
Lauren Engle
“Masculinity, Humor, and Modern War in Generation Kill”
Jud Potter
“Rashomon, Godzilla, and the “abyssal regions” of the Human Experience: Japanese Cinema after World War II”
Hudson Reynolds
“Slashing the Patriarchy: The Slasher Genre as Gender Critique in Takashi Miike’s Audition, Jang Cheol-soo’s Bedevilled, and Pang Ho-cheung’s Dream Home”
Creative Writing
Stone Hendrickson
“The Family Pool”
Ryan Lally
“Mindless Work”
“Washing Dishes with Oedipus”
Caleb Punt
“Prozac”
Hannah Warrick
“Requiem for Our 10th”
Contributors
Lindsey Brodt
Lindsey Brodt is a senior English major from Mandeville, LA. Her favorite literary works include Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Raymond Carver’s collected short stories Where I’m Calling From.
Dr. David Chapman
Dr. David Chapman is Professor of English. He is finishing his first year in the English department after leaving the Dean’s office. He advises the John Howard Scholars, a group of outstanding students who continue the work of the eighteenth-century prison reformer.
Claire Davis
Claire Davis is a sophomore University Fellow from Birmingham, AL, studying English and Classics. After graduation, she plans to go into editing, but for the time being she is happy serving as the communications coordinator for the Samford Traditions and Oral History Recording Initiative.
Lauren Engle
Lauren Engle is a first-year student double majoring in English and Political Science. She is from Charlotte, NC, and is excited to continue pursuing her love for writing and politics while here at Samford.
Stone Hendrickson
Stone Hendrickson is a senior University Fellow double majoring in English and Classics. He serves as the General Editor of the Samford Undergraduate Research Journal and as an SGA Senator. He will be attending the University of Alabama School of Law in the fall.
Ryan Lally
Ryan Lally is a Junior University Fellow majoring in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing. Originally from the Chicago area, he currently resides in Killen, AL.
Emily London
Emily London is a sophomore University Fellow double majoring in English and Classics. She enjoys baking and wishing she resided in her namesake city. She has a particular research interest in exploring non-Western identities in ancient Greek and Roman cultures.
Margaret Mason
Margaret Mason is a senior English major and University Fellow from Columbus, GA, who is amazed by grace. She loves channeling her inner Elizabeth Bennet by spending a majority of her time outdoors with a book (preferably written by an Inkling) and hot tea in hand. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career in College Admissions.
Jud Potter
Jud Potter is a senior majoring in English with a Concentration in Film Studies. He plans to edit film and video in Atlanta and hopes one day to edit your next favorite movie.
Caleb Punt
Caleb Punt is a senior University Fellow double majoring in English and Religion. He will pursue a Masters in Divinity at Duke University starting in the fall.
Hudson Reynolds
Hudson Reynolds is a senior majoring in English with a Concentration in Film Studies. He plans to work as a contract tutor while pursuing opportunities in videography. Long-term plans are to pursue a position in Video Production.
Margaret Schultz
Margaret Schultz is a junior History major, English minor, and University Fellow from Austin, TX. She has always loved history and literature and hopes to continue combining them in her studies in the future.
Hannah Warrick
Hannah Warrick is an English major with a Concentration in Creative Writing and minors in French and Fine Arts. After graduation, Hannah hopes to publish and edit creative works and become a freelance illustrator. She hails from Knoxville, TN.
Emily Youree
Emily Youree is a sophomore University Fellow from Madison, AL, studying English, Classics, and Business. When not studying, she enjoys reading Charlotte Bronte and C.S. Lewis, drinking tea, and wishing she were in England.
Guidelines
Submissions will be accepted from all Samford students, faculty, and staff. Publication of any and all submissions is up to the discretion of the Wide Angle editorial staff. Upon acceptance of submission, the contributor will be required to sign a copyright waiver prior to publication. All written submissions must follow current MLA style guidelines and be free of any grammatical errors. All submissions must be anonymous.
Critical Essays
Ranging from 2,500-9,000 words, essays can be written within any critical framework as long as they are grounded in a literary or cinematic subject. The manuscript must be accompanied by an abstract.
Reviews and Commentaries
- Reviews of recently released novels, short stories, poetry collections, scholarly works, and anthologies. Reviews should be around 1,000 words.
- Commentaries on recent literature- related events (poetry readings, poetry competitions, plays, author readings, conferences, lectures) or other topics in print culture. Commentaries should be around 1000 words.
- Reviews of recently released films, DVDs/BluRays, and scholarly works pertaining to cinema. Reviews should be around 1,000 words.
- Commentaries on such subjects as: local film-related events/topics (Sidewalk and Snapshot film festivals, repertory and independent screenings at The Alabama Theater and The Edge, etc), national/international film-related events (the Academy Awards, Sundance and Cannes film festivals, conferences, etc.) or other topics in film culture. Commentaries should be around 1,000 words.
Short Film
- Short films must be original and should not exceed 10 minutes in length.
- Short films should be submitted as .mov or as another format compressed into a .zip file.
Poetry
- Submissions may consist of one to three poems.
- All poems must be contained in one Word document. Each poem must be formatted on its own page with a title for each poem. Include explanatory or contextualizing comments if necessary.
Prose
- Prose may be short fiction or creative non-fiction.
- Submissions should not exceed thirty pages.
Screenplays
Submissions should be no shorter than ten pages and no longer than ninety pages.
Staff
Dr. Geoffrey A. Wright - General Editor
In addition to serving as the General Editor and faculty sponsor for Wide Angle, Dr. Wright directs the Film Studies Concentration in the English Major. He also serves as faculty sponsor for the SU Film Club.
Lauren Morris - Managing Editor
Lauren Morris is a junior English major and University Fellow. She is the Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority's New Member Educator and a tutor at the Communication Resource Center. Lauren enjoys reading gender studies criticism and practicing yoga in her free time.
Cassidy Bell - Assistant Managing Editor
Cassidy Bell is a senior English major with a minor in Latin American Studies. She is a recipient of the Nancy Terrell scholarship from the English department and has made the Dean's list for five consecutive semesters.
Casey Cunningham - Literature Editor
Casey Cunningham is a junior University Fellow double majoring in English and Spanish. She has made the Dean's List for the past four semesters and recently completed an editorial internship with New Hope Publishers. Last spring, she was awarded the Nancy Terrell scholarship by the English department.
Mack Sexton - Film Editor
Mack Sexton is a University Fellow and a senior English major with a Concentration in Film Studies. He has been named to the Dean’s List each semester at Samford. This is his second tenure as the Wide Angle Film Editor, and he serves as Secretary for the SU Film Club.
Kiani Yiu - Creative Writing Editor
Kiani Yiu is a senior English major with a Concentration in Creative Writing. She has been named to the Dean's List each semester at Samford. She enjoys Native American literature and a good cup of Earl Grey. Last spring, she was awarded the Nancy Terrell scholarship by the English department.
