English Literature student Kaya Purchase wins BrANCA undergraduate essay prize
The English Department congratulates Kaya Purchase (3rd year English Literature) for winning the inaugural British Association of Nineteenth-Century Americanists (BrANCA) undergraduate essay prize. Established this year, the prize encourages and supports undergraduate students producing outstanding work on American literature and culture from 1789 to 1917, particularly those who may be interested in pursuing further study in the field.
The judging panel praised Kaya’s ‘deft handling of the relationship between autobiographical narration and traditions of collective storytelling’ in Zitkála-Šá’s American Indian Stories. They remarked: "Elegantly written and carefully researched the essay succeeds in combining persuasive close readings of the text with larger theoretical concerns indebted to feminist scholarship in ways that illuminate the complexities of early twentieth-century Native American experience."
Kaya’s essay developed from her coursework on her second’year module Declaring Independence: American Literature to 1900, convened by Dr Hannah Murray. "I'm really glad I had the opportunity to study Zitkála-Šá on the course", says Kaya. "She was such a fascinating woman and I feel privileged to be able to honour her legacy even in such a small way."
Congratulations Kaya!