The Upper Peninsula (UP) is geographically, and socially, isolated from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Since the iron and copper closed, the economy in Michigan has imploded, and the UP is barely surviving. By telling the story of UP residents, the Lappi family, my thesis will be a story of living alone in the midst of highly-connected state, national and global communities.

At the heart of the story is Lauri Lappi, the patriarch of the family whose life is coming to a close. This project confronts the struggles of elder care, living alone, and being religious in a ‘sinful’ world.
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