Graduate Student Presents Paper

Kerri M. Childs, a graduate student pursuing a master of arts in teaching, presented at the University of Louisville’s Conference on Literature and Culture Since1900, according to Dr. Angela Schwer, chair of the Department of Language and Literature. 

Childs, who is student teaching at Monongah Middle School this term, read her paper, “A Family's Survival: Ma Joad's Maternal Instinct in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath,” at Louisville’s conference on Friday, February 23. 

Childs’ essay examines the concept of maternal instinct as a driving force behind Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. Childs argues, “By assuming the leadership role in her family, Ma is forced to make tough decisions and defy the traditional roles of society, all while facing heartache, loss, and defeat.”  Childs wrote her paper in an independent study with Dr. Matthew Hokom, professor of English.

Schwer said, "Kerri Childs' drive and initiative in studying Steinbeck and the guidance of her mentor Dr. Matt Hokom make her most deserving of this honor.  Steinbeck is an often overlooked American writer whose reputation is undergoing something of a renaissance recently.  Acceptance of her paper at this prestigious conference is a great first step in her career as an academic in the Humanities."

Childs earned her BA in English in 1998 from Fairmont State College.  She is a Fairmont native and the owner of Kerri’s Corner, a bookstore that opened in 2006 and specializes in new books and educational supplies for teacher and parents. 

Kerri ChildsMaster of Arts in TeachingDepartment of English