The Thesis: Adventures in Academia

The Thesis is a literary novel, extending the themes of truth and honesty, originality and plagiarism, as well as accomplishment and acknowledgment. It unfolds as an archetypal quest?for knowledge leading out of ignorance. The protagonist, Walter Cant, is a student in a state university. He is trapped on one level of the American dream (similar to Dante's Hell). When his world disintegrates around him?his thesis is rejected, he is forced from his job, his girlfriend leaves?he fights back. Desperate when his work is rejected, he appeals to an academic hearing board, but the prejudice and slander he receives from the board is worse than the rejection from his committee. The novel is narrated by a librarian, who fills her frustration with anagram word games and fantasies. As the protagonist is rejected by the hearing board, he proceeds up the academic ladder from dean to faculty council, vice president and finally president. At each step his purpose is derailed. When Cant's academic actions have the opposite effect?escalating name-calling and rejection?he goes outside the university for help, to the board of regents and to governor, then to newspapers. When those tactics fail, he sends his thesis out to other universities and then to publishers. Cant learns to be slow and contemplative. The thesis is published, after which the university awards the degree to avoid more bad publicity about its weak standards for degrees.