Abstract:
Being a student at Ball State University (BSU) in Muncie, Indiana, puts one right in the heart of
Middletown; likewise, Muncie has been heavily-studied by anthropologists and cultural centers
alike. However, even with the interest in Muncie, the town is generally portrayed by BSU
students and outsider alike as a “dirty” town with a small, uneducated population. Art does not
thrive there, nor does academics outside of Ball State. Analyzing the town with different models
such as research, art, and creative writing allows for the hidden beauties that are Muncie’s
landmarks to be glorified. In this creative project, different landmarks in Muncie’s vicinity
(including on Ball State University’s campus) are viewed through different lens on the
aforementioned models to create a more colorful, comprehensive understanding of the town and
its culture.
