Humanities Edge Undergraduate Research Symposium | Fall 2021

Inside the neglected caverns of our minds lies a dormant beast. Anxiety, depression, and stress all make up the core attributes of this infernal monstrosity. Adam, our voice behind Singularity, offers an opportunity to submerge into a journey through the lens of an individual suffering from severe anxiety and depression. Influence from the semi-autobiographical novels focalizing experiential realities faced by Japanese author Osamu Dazai paved the stepping stones for the beginnings of Singularity. Dazai’s proficiency in utilizing the recollections of tragic experiences fate had intertwined in his lifetime is portrayed behind each of his works. Plotting out the final scenarios and completing the writings for Singularity paralleled Dazai’s techniques, expressional approaches, and transparency concerning the cruelties anxiety and depression can drag us through. A multitude of academic works and psychological studies centralizing anxiety, depression, and PTSD granted a realistic approach in illustrating a narrative behind the harsh conditions one with severe anxiety will face in their lifetime. Innovative psychologists can take apart Singularity in the further investigation of the psyche of these said individuals. Singularity aims to showcase a confrontation between man and self, answering the question, “What if the angel and devil on your shoulders became one?”