This creative thesis focuses on isolated individuals that experience varying degrees of psychological trauma. Throughout Missing Pieces, I explore some of the different forms isolation can embody. The isolation my characters feel stems from lack of opportunity, from the crushing feeling of guilt over the death of a loved one, from feelings of failure, and from feelings of helplessness. An element of trauma contributes to the state of isolation each character feels.

I make use of back-story and flashback to reveal important aspects of my characters' lives, utilize juxtaposition to contrast how differently characters can react when facing the same trauma, and utilize alliteration, symbolism, and imagery throughout my work.

In this thesis, I attempt to explore the human mind's response to situations surrounding death, abuse, guilt, and disappointment, situations that most of us have or will experience at some point in our lives. The particular order of the pieces of my thesis is meant to display what I consider to be a gradual increase in either the degree of isolation of the respective characters, or the severity of trauma experienced.