Author: Noelle    Leon-Palmer

Major: Biology

Graduation Year: 2016

Thesis Advisor: Kristy Townsend

Description of Publication: This thesis explores the physiology, endocrinology and neurobiology of love. The thesis is formatted as a creative writing piece that is laced with the science while remaining in the narrative voice. The story is divided into four loose categories; the growing, the loving, the hurting and the healing. The growing explores puberty, and the importance of puberty in terms of creating more mature relationships. The loving defines when the main character, Clara, falls in love with the antagonist. She eventually gets her heart broken and she has to learn how to heal from that. The hurting is her heartbreak; the story delves into the science of heartbreak and why it is so painful. Finally, the healing, is the part where Clara finds a way to heal through the help of her friends, family, and surprisingly music as well. Based on the research that is already available, this thesis explains the science behind all of the mysteries of love while at the same time creating a piece that is in a format that is accessible to people in the science field as well as people who are not. This thesis gives readers a real-time breakdown of what is happening to their minds and their bodies when they are falling in love. It allows them a window into the unknown; giving them an explanation as to why they have been completely enraptured by love, or why they eventually will be.

Location of Publication:

• fogler
• reynolds

URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/401