Presented to: Bruce W. Jorgensen
For: "Romantic Lyric Form and Western Mormon Experience in the Stories of Douglas Thayer"
According to the awards committee, "this article advances the thesis that Thayer both adapts the Romantic lyric as a usable part of his literary heritage and at the same time subverts it because of his Mormon heritage; the critic skillfully and gracefully proceeds to demonstrate this thesis using two stories: "Under the Cottonwoods" and "Opening Day." This distinguished article not only provides a profound perspective on the contribution of the writer of the stories, Douglas Thayer, but also offers a powerful paradigm for further critical examination of Mormon literature. In doing so, Bruce Jorgensen's article makes a significant breakthrough in Mormon criticism and our understanding of the Mormon literary imagination."