Self-Health: The Politics of Care in American Literature, 1793-1873 (original) (raw)

I would like to thank my committee for seeing me through this process, especially my chair, Scotti Parrish, whose deep and careful analyses have helped shape my thinking, whose example as a scholar and teacher has encouraged me, and whose kindness has sustained me. Kerry Larson energized my interests in the nineteenth century, and I'm indebted to his keen readings and expert diagnostics. Alex Stern brought her invaluable expertise and intellectual rigor to bear upon this project. My thanks to Gregg Crane for lending his eye to this dissertation's earlier stages, and to Danny Hack for lots of things, not least of which is agreeing to read this. Research for this dissertation was generally supported by fellowships from Rackham Graduate School and the Institute for the Humanities. I'm deeply and happily beholden to the intellectual community at the University of Michigan for including me and energizing me these past six years. Sid Smith has been an invaluable mentor from the very beginning. June Howard helped me to formulate my interests; Scott Lyons offered reassurance during a time of some despair. I thank the 2015-2016 Institute fellows for their generous engagement with my work; the members of my cohort, especially Adam Sneed, a dear friend since day one, for their companionship; and the faculty and students in the Medical Humanities Path of Excellence at the University of Michigan Medical School for welcoming me among them. And I'm especially grateful to my students for all of their insight and energy, for challenging me and for reminding me why I'm here. I wake daily with devout thanksgiving for my transcendent teachers-for Claudia Skerlong, who showed me that thinking critically about literature is one way of loving it, and for Paul Kane, whose example made me want to pay it forward; it was Paul who pointed me in the direction of Ann Arbor, for which I will remain ever thankful. I owe more than I can express to my mother, Kim Young. As a feminist, teacher, and parent, she remains my primary example of the joyful negotiation of work and care. This is for her. My family has been a constant source of support and encouragement. My father, David Waples, is a paragon of unflagging intellectual curiosity; no matter how many degrees I earn, I doubt I will ever read so many books. Sharon Knapp has taught me much about the importance of maintaining the happy pursuit of creative labor. Pat Keller took care of me, and so many others, during her too-short and selfless life; my work endeavors to honor her memory. And thanks to my brothers, Greg, Bret, and Nathan, for being a few of my favorite people. This is a project about the politics of self-care, but I could not have completed it without the care of Dr. Jennifer Griggs and the staff at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. To that end, I am immensely grateful to the Graduate Employee Organization for ensuring that I have had what so many others in this country do not: access to quality, affordable health care. Finally, I cannot write about care without acknowledging my deep debt of gratitude to Anthony LoSapio, who has cared for me, in large ways and small, for all of these years.