The Heart's Content

Abstract

The thesis, “The Heart’s Content,” is composed of a large section of a larger novel entitled “The Do Not Playlist,” and an exegetical element entitled “On Love, In Tears.”

The creative element consists of seven chapters and a prologue that covers the first act of a contemporary romantic comedy novel. These chapters depict a female protagonist who discovers that her long-time boyfriend has been cheating on her with his work colleague, her subsequent breakdown, and the beginning of her healing journey following this trauma. The piece explores themes of love, mourning, attachment, neurodiversity, and friendship, all under the umbrella of comedic prose. Through poignant, vulnerable scenes and uplifting humour, the piece navigates heartbreak in your twenties, unlikely allyship, and the internal struggle of a neurodiverse woman facing anxiety, grief, and reluctant new beginnings. The objective is for anyone, but particularly romantic comedy enthusiasts and neurodiverse readers, to be able to identify with both the story and the way it is told.

The exegetical element, entitled “On Love, In Tears” examines the influences that inspired me both before and during the process of writing my thesis, the realities of living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the resulting mental chatter, and experiences with art, love, and limerence. It delves into the elements of intertextuality woven throughout my narrative meant to harken across disciplines to literary and media aficionados in the romantic comedy genre, and explores broader themes of healing and reclamation.