Student Scholarship
Document Type
Research Paper
Abstract
The Lindenwood Common Project's Spring 1972 publication features a collection of introspective poetry by Nancy Gitomer titled Time. The work serves as a deeply personal exploration of the human condition, specifically focusing on the cyclical nature of disappointment, the pervasive weight of loneliness, and the struggle for authentic connection. Gitomer organizes the collection through chronological and thematic headers such as Yesterday, Today, Places, Things, and Tomorrow, creating a narrative arc that moves from specific social critiques to broad existential reflections.
In the early sections, the author dissects the artificiality of social rituals, such as proms, which she describes as cold and unnatural affairs where proper platitudes replace genuine thought or love. This critique of societal performance transitions into raw descriptions of personal heartache and the desire for isolation following emotional injury. The poetry frequently employs metaphors of physical barriers, such as locked doors and silent walls, to illustrate the difficulty of emotional vulnerability and the "ominous lock" of wisdom and pain that prevents people from truly knowing one another.
The later sections focus on the sensory experience of being alone, suggesting that lonely people possess a unique clarity of perception, noticing the wind, the sun, and the grass in ways others might overlook. Gitomer concludes the collection with a somber meditation on pride and missed opportunities for love, ultimately ending on a note of cautious transition. While she acknowledges the end of a specific period of her life and the death of idealistic dreams, she looks toward a new beginning with the hope that tomorrow might bring a reformed sense of self.
Research Highlights
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Primary Figures: Nancy Gitomer
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Key Events: Personal reflections on the superficiality of high school proms; an account of a nervous driver; a regretful address to a friend named Peter regarding missed opportunities; and a final dedication of "last words" following an experience of social indifference.
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Date/Location: Spring 1972 at Lindenwood University.
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Archival Significance: Creative writing compilation for "The Lindenwood Common Project" exploring themes of loneliness, human connection, social masks, and the transition from idealistic dreams to adult reality.
Publication Date
Spring 1972
Recommended Citation
Gitomer, Nancy, "Time" (1972). Student Scholarship. 173.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/student-research-papers/173
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