Editors’ Introduction

CRĪT ERION

A L I T E R A RY JO U R N A L

Dear Reader,

WELCOME TO THE 2022 EDITION OF LMU’S CRĪT ERION, a literary journal dedicated to putting forth the best of the year’s academic essays by students of Loyola Marymount University. The ten works in this year’s collection—which span a range of genres, topics, eras, approaches, and critical lenses—were written amidst the continuing difficulty and tumult of a global pandemic and a world in crisis. Also present, however, is the resilience of a student body that seeks to use our collective voice in pursuit of positive change and deepening understanding, striving to overcome our difficulties by looking toward the example of literature.

We would like to thank our contributors, for entrusting us with their essays, and those on the editing team for their careful consideration and deliberation process, and for taking the time to make sure the best possible versions of those works are being presented to you.

We’d also like to extend our gratitude to our faculty advisor, Sarah Maclay, and our graphic designer, Ash Good, for her work over the past years in the creation of our website. It is our hope that, through our efforts in digitizing the collection, these talented voices will reach a wider audience than ever before. As always, continuing thanks to the English department for their tireless support of our magazine and its contributors.

Thank you for taking the time to seek out our journal . . . and now, enjoy the read!

Alexandra Paradzick Comer Wadzeck

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF