Participation Type
Performance
Session Title
Session 6.03 Religion
Presentation #1 Title
The World is Albert Fish
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Set in modern day Appalachia, “The World is Albert Fish,” concerns an unfortunate and universal rite of passage— the realization of one’s mortality and the impermanence of all things. Beyond the unavoidable, lies the unpredictable. Throughout the piece, the protagonist grapples with the uncertainty of faith. The discomfort of this question is compounded by her position within a religious household in the country’s Bible Belt. This creative non-fiction essay also explores the underpinnings of choice. Revolving around the young woman’s existential epiphany, it looks at the familial, cultural, religious, psychological and environmental influences that aid the transition from childish perspective to adult understanding. The Old Regular Baptist religion, mountain top removal mining, mental illness, death and lost love are central to the environment and experience of the primary character. Following the evolution from its initial stages, an amalgamation of unease solidifies the abstract into a tangible source of fear and an acknowledgement of the inevitable.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Cari Leigh Moore, a lifelong, multi-generational Appalachian, works as a full-time English student, tutor, artisan and volunteer activist.
The World is Albert Fish
Set in modern day Appalachia, “The World is Albert Fish,” concerns an unfortunate and universal rite of passage— the realization of one’s mortality and the impermanence of all things. Beyond the unavoidable, lies the unpredictable. Throughout the piece, the protagonist grapples with the uncertainty of faith. The discomfort of this question is compounded by her position within a religious household in the country’s Bible Belt. This creative non-fiction essay also explores the underpinnings of choice. Revolving around the young woman’s existential epiphany, it looks at the familial, cultural, religious, psychological and environmental influences that aid the transition from childish perspective to adult understanding. The Old Regular Baptist religion, mountain top removal mining, mental illness, death and lost love are central to the environment and experience of the primary character. Following the evolution from its initial stages, an amalgamation of unease solidifies the abstract into a tangible source of fear and an acknowledgement of the inevitable.
