Office: Britt 200
Email: lwhited@ferrum.edu
Office phone: (540) 365-4334
Teaching at Ferrum since: 1990B.A., Emory & Henry College (English, Speech, and Drama)
M.A., The College of William & Mary (English)
M.A., Hollins College (Creative Writing)
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Greensboro (20th Century British and American Literature)English 101 & 102 / Composition I & II
English 205 & 206 /American Identities (Literature) I & II
English 212 / Women in Literature
English 214 / Harry Potter & the Hero Myth
English 310 / Media Law & Ethics
English 347 / American Literature
English 461 (Professional Writing)
Honors 213 / Media & Violence
Honors 435 / Values & Vocation (capstone)
Books
(Author) Murder, In Fact: Disillusionment and Death in the American True Crime Novel. Mcfarland, 2020.
(Editor) Critical Insights: The Hunger Games Trilogy. Grey House, 2016
(Co-editor, with M. Katherine Grimes) Critical Insights: The Harry Potter Series. Grey House, 2015
(Editor) The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon. University of Missouri Press, 2002
Articles
“Hearing Voices: Studying the Hero Myth in the Digimodern Age.” Approaches to Teaching the Harry Potter Series. MLA monograph. Ed. Cecilia Konchar Farr. Forthcoming.
“A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Greaser.” Critical Insights: The Outsiders. Ed. M. Katherine Grimes. Gray House, forthcoming 2018.
“From Sorcerer’s Stone to Deathly Hallows: The Failed Quest for Immortality in the Harry Potter Series.” In Critical Insights: The Harry Potter Series. Edited by Lana A. Whited and M. Katherine Grimes. Hackensack, NJ: Grey House, 2015. 306-25.
“A Survey of the Critical Reception of the Harry Potter Series.” In Critical Insights: The Harry Potter Series. Edited by Lana A. Whited and M. Katherine Grimes. Hackensack, NJ: Grey House, 2015. 49-81.
“Coal Miner’s Daughter as Reality Show Contestant: A Review of The Hunger Games on Film.” Journal of Appalachian Studies. 18.1-2 (2012): 326-31.
“From Hogwarts Academy to the Hero’s Journey.”Teaching with Harry Potter: Essays on Classroom Wizardry from Elementary School to College. Ed Valerie Estelle Frankel. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2013. 4-20.
“The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb.” Review. Appalachian Journal. 40.1-2 (2013): 125-27.
Frankel, Valerie Estelle. “Lana Whited: Headmistress and Creator of Hogwarts Academy.” Interview. In Harry Potter: Still Recruiting. Zossima, 2012.
“True Crime Stories.” Masterplots: Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction. Ed. Carl Rollyson. Salem Press, 2008. 5 vols.
Review of Never Seen the Moon: The Trials of Edith Maxwell. By Sharon Hatfield. Appalachian Journal 33 (2006): 354-58.
“Blue Ridge Institute and Museum. Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Ed. Jean Haskell Speer and Rudy Abramson. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 2006.
“1492, 1942, 1992: The Theme of Race in the Harry Potter Series.” Through the Looking Glass 10.1 (2006). http://www.the-looking-glass.net/rabbit/v10i1/alice5.html Previously presented at conferences of the South Atlantic Modern Language Association and the Popular Culture Association of America/Popular Culture Association of the South.
Review of Ghost Riders by Sharon McCrumb. Appalachian Journal 31.3-4 (2004): 416-18.
“‘Based on a True Story’: Using The Ballad of Frankie Silver to Teach the Conventions of Narrative.” From a Race of Storytellers: The Ballad Novels of Sharyn McCrumb. Ed. Kimberley M. Holloway. Mercer U P, 2003: 33-50. Available on AppLit: Resources for Teaching Appalachian Literature for Children and Young Adults. Ed. Tina Hanlon. <www.ferrum.edu/thanlon/applit.htm>
“Naturalism’s Middle Ages: The Nonfiction Homicide Novel 1930-1960.” In Twisted from the Ordinary: Essays on American Literary Naturalism. Ed. Mary Papke. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 2003. Also presented at the 1999 South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference. Atlanta.
“McGonagall’s Prophecy Fulfilled: The Harry Potter Critical Library.” The Lion and Unicorn 27.3 (2003): 416-25.
“What Would Harry Do? J. K. Rowling and Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theories of Moral Development.” In The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter. U of Missouri, 2002. 182-208.
Review of Songcatcher by Sharyn McCrumb. Appalachian Journal. 30 (Spring 2002).
Review of Frankie, a new play by William Gregg and Perry Deane Young. Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre. Mars Hill College. 1 August 2001. http://www.ferrum.edu/lwhited/frankie.htm.
Review of A Tree Accurst: Bobby McMillan and Stories of Frankie Silver by Daniel Patterson. Appalachian Journal. Spring 2001: 394-97.
Interactive News Reporting Assignment. duPont Instruction Technology Center Faculty Workshop. Ferrum College. Summer 2000. Supported by a duPont Foundation grant. Available upon request (on CD).
Frankie Silver Resources. 16 May 2000. <http://www.ferrum.edu/lwhited/silver.htm> Webliography created in conjunction with the Appalachian College Association WebShop at Ferrum College. May 2000. Supported by a grant from the ACA.
“Suicide in Beth Henley’s Crimes of the Heart and Marsha Norman’s ‘night, Mother.” The Southern Quarterly. 36.1 (Fall 1997): 65-74.
The Iron Blade: A Handbook for Staff Members. Ferrum College, 1996.
“An American Tragedy ” (annotated bibliography) Masterplots: Twentieth Anniversary Revised Second Edition. 1996.
“Torch Song Trilogy” (summary and critical analysis). Masterplots: Twentieth Anniversary Revised Second Edition. 1996.
Presentations, Talks, & Other
“Why You Should Read Hogwarts: A History.” Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Academic Conference, Chestnut Hill, Pa., 16 Oct. 2020.
Featured speaker, “Here Be Dragons and Phoenixes.” Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Academic Conference, Chestnut Hill, Pa., 19 Oct. 2019.
Respondent, “Magic or Mendacity: Harry Potter and Muggle Politics,” South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Atlanta, Ga., 4 Nov. 2017.
“Reporting from Oklahoma: John Grisham’s The Innocent Man as Successor to Capote’s In Cold Blood.” Truman Capote Literary Society. South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Atlanta, Ga., 3 Nov. 2017.
The Odds Are Never in Her Favor: Are Heroines Just YA Fantasy?” (Keynote address), Beauxbatons Academy, Queen City Mischief & Magic (a Harry Potter festival), Staunton, Va., 22 Sept. 2017.
“The Life and Legacy of Nicolas Flamel.” Roanoke Harry Potter Festival, Roanoke, Va., 13 May 2017.
Reporting from Kansas: Capote’s In Cold Blood and the Tradition of American Literary Naturalism.” Truman Capote Literary Society. South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Jacksonville, Fl., Nov. 2016.
“The Ferrum College Honors Capstone.” National Collegiate Honors Council Conference. New Orleans, La., 6-10 November, 2013.
“The Ferrum College Honors Capstone.” National Collegiate Honors Council Conference. New Orleans, La., 6-10 November, 2013.
“Harry Potter and the Postcolonial View.” Children’s Literature Association. Christopher Newport University. June 2007.
Stein, Sharon E. and Lana A. Whited. “A Cognitive-Based Approach to Teaching Media and Violence.” Presentation by Sharon E. Stein at the National Council on Family Relations Conference. Minneapolis, 2007.
“Harry Potter as Hidden Child.” The Holocaust in Literature and Film Session. South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Charlotte, N.C., November 2006.
with Susan Virginia Mead. “Region and Herstory: Bringing Women’s Voices into the Teaching Space.” Regional Study and the Liberal Arts: An Appalachian Exemplar. NEH Institute. Ferrum College June 8, 2006.
“Violence in Entertainment Media and Its Antisocial and Prosocial Effects.” ANIFEST: International Festival of Animated Film. Sponsored by the Permanent Committee for the Media of the Czech Parliament. Trébon, Czech Republic. 7 May 2005.
Fellow, Salzburg Global Seminar. No. 416: “Ethics in News Reporting and Editing.” 18-25 February 2004. Salzburg, Austria.
with M. Katherine Grimes. “The Use of Topics in the Freshman Seminar: A Round-Table Discussion” The Fifteenth International Conference on The First-Year Experience. Bath, United Kingdom, July 1-5, 2002.
“A Myth of the South: The Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou.” Presented at the annual meeting of the South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Atlanta, November 2001.
“‘Based on a True Story’: Using The Ballad of Frankie Silver to Teach the Conventions of Narrative.” Appalachian Teachers Network. Radford University. September 2000.
with M. Katherine Grimes. “Magic Can Help Make Us Moral: Harry Potter and the Theories of Lawrence Kohlberg.” Children’s Literature Association Conference. Roanoke, VA. June 2000.
with Stephanie Humphries and Camille Wright Miller. “‘Talking 9 to 5’: Communication Tips for Women.” Ferrum College Women’s Leadership Conference. March 2000.
“A Journalism Professor’s Perspective on the News Media and the ‘Copycat’ Effect.” Scoring Big: Does Media Violence Make Johnny Kill?” Presentation with Dr. M. Katherine Grimes, Dr. Susan Mead, and Dr. Sharon Stein at the Popular Culture Association of American Conference. Roanoke, Va. October 1999.
“America’s Crime and Punishment: Keeping Capote in the Canon and the Classroom.” 1999 meeting of the College English Association. Philadelphia, PA. April 1999.
“Using the Facts to Tell the Truth: Turn-of-the-Century Murder Cases as a Source for Theodore Dreiser.” 1999 Virginia Humanities Conference. Mary Baldwin College, March 19, 1999.
“Well, I Just Don’t Understand It”: Fargo as Morality Tale. 24th Annual Conference on Film and Literature. Florida State Univ. Jan. 28-30, 1999.
“The Murderer as Savior: Christian Imagery and Ideology in Sling Blade.” 1998 SAMLA Conference. Atlanta, Georgia. Nov. 6, 1998.
with Tina Hanlon. “The Language of Leadership: What Women Leaders Need to Know About Words.” Ferrum College Women’s Leadership Conference. October 1997.
with Tina Hanlon. “Ferrum Performers Keep Jack Tales Alive.” alca-lines: Journal of The Assembly on the Literature and Culture of Appalachia. NCTE 5.1 (1997): 20-23.
“An Appointment with Death: Awaiting Execution in An American Tragedy and In Cold Blood.” South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Savannah. November 1996. Funded by ACA grant.
“The Gospel According to Betts: Religious Attitudes in Two Short Stories.” Society for the Study of Southern Literature. The University of Richmond (VA), April 1996.
“If on a winter’s night a reader: Metaphors for Reading in Italo Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler.” Va. Humanities Conference. University of Virginia, March 1996.”Suicide in ‘night, Mother and Crimes of the Heart.” Virginia Humanities Conference. Christopher Newport University, March 1994.
“Piety Perverted: Religion in A Confederacy of Dunces.” Philological Association of the Carolinas, Winthrop College, 1988.
“Carrie’s Sisters: The Other Women in Dreiser’s First Novel.” Philological Association of the Carolinas, University of South Carolina, 1982.Forthcoming
(Editor) Book manuscript tentatively titled The Ivory Tower, Harry Potter, and Beyond: More Essays on the Writings of J.K. Rowling. In production with the University of Missouri Press and anticipated 2022.
(Author) 1492, 1942, 1992: The Theme of Race in the Harry Potter Series. Book manuscript.
