Escapes

Abstract

This thesis tells the story of its principle character's return to his hometown in the aftermath of his father's health crisis. It has been two years since Tristan visited his family in Central Florida, and his return forces them to contend with the ways both he and the people he left behind have changed and stayed the same. The story is structured around the two days and three nights of his visit during which time it becomes increasingly unclear whether it is ever really possible to leave a place at all. The story is interested in an exploration of transgender identity, especially in the context of Southern family life, as well as the impact of cultural and environmental toxicity.