English M.A. students and Prof. Patricia Matthew in conference presentations

Kimberly Plaksin and Greg Riggio delivered papers at St. John’s University Graduate English Conference, Saturday April 6th. The conference theme this year was “Forms of Justice” and featured original research by 30 graduate students. Plaksin’s paper, “‘Civilized Industry’ and Joint-Matriarchy in the Short Stories of Charlotte Perkins Gilman,”examined the ways that Perkins Gilman’s short stories reflect the feminist ideals she outlines in her social treatise The Home.” In his essay “Fighting Dismemberment: Moonlight as Protest Literature,” Riggio measured the film Moonlight against James Baldwin’s strict criteria for protest literature. Approximately 60 faculty, students, and community members were in attendance. The conference was hosted by the graduate students of St. John’s Queens campus. Plaksin’s essay started as a paper for Prof. Monika Elbert’s Research Methods course. Riggio’s essay was originally written for Prof. Adam Rzepka’s Critical Theory class. Professor Patricia Matthew delivered the keynote address.