Literary Analysis Research Paper – “Why I Live at the P.O.” by Eudora Welty

Literary Analysis Research Paper – “Why I Live at the P.O.” by Eudora Welty

Eudora Welty’s short story, “Why I Live at the P. O.,” is a masterful work of fiction that provides an intimate look into the American South’s social, economic, and cultural norms in the early part of the twentieth century. This satirical work, which came out in 1941, serves as a more elaborate commentary on familial relationships and the roles that women and men were expected to play at the time. Thus, the author portrays the oppression of women and the existing hierarchical relationships of the pre-war South through the vivid representation of characters and the focus on details. This paper will analyze how the events in Welty’s story reflect the historical period in which this piece of literature was written, as well as the author’s views about the world while writing the story.

The story’s main character, Sister, has become a symbol of the fight for individuality and self-determination that was suppressed by the South’s traditional family and community values. Her choice of taking shelter in the local post office shows her desire to free herself from the oppressive cultural norms that restrained women in the early twentieth century. Through Sister’s interactions with her tyrannical mother, competitive sister, and artistic grandmother, Welty provides essential perspectives into the social and cultural contexts that define women’s lives in the South. In addition, the geographical isolation of the characters and their existence within a tightly-knit rural society strengthens the theme of the lack of opportunities for social and economic advancement of individuals, especially women, in this area.

“Why I Live at the P. O.” by Eudora Welty will be examined through the lens of the characters, the themes, the narrative techniques, and the social, economic, and cultural contexts of the early twentieth-century Southern United States. This analysis will benefit the current literature and future studies because it aims to understand how Welty shares her views about the world through her works and how this contributes to the discussion of the relationship between literature, history, and culture.

How the Story Represents the Social, Economic, and Cultural Values of that Period

The short story “Why I Live at the P. O.” by Eudora Welty provides the readers with an accurate portrayal of the early twentieth century’s culture, economy, and norms. The manner in which Welty depicted her characters and presented the region’s details is a way of pointing out the narrow and oppressive roles and relations that defined the characters’ lives. In this historical period, Welty portrays the relationships within the families and between the genders to scrutinize societal norms. Sister’s power struggle with her mother and her sister shows how the two women have little agency and their options are limited by the oppressive Southern Patriarchy. Howell (2020) notes that the story tells many of the stories of women who have to regain their independence in conflict with family and societal norms (Welty, 1987). For instance, Sister’s decision to lock herself in the local post office exemplifies her stand against the oppressive cultural norms that seek to confine Southern women into the home.

Apart from the social values reflected in the story, the economic opportunities and social mobility portrayed in the narrative are limited, particularly for women in this part of the country. The geographical isolation of the narrative and the plot’s rural focus emphasize the idea that small-town America cannot quickly become sustainable and wealthy (Bendixen & Nagel, 2020). This focalization of the post office as the central place in the story also implies the lack of other occupations available to the characters and, thus, the scarcity of economic opportunities they can pursue (Welty, 1987). This depiction of the financial conditions Welty provides for her characters corresponds to the southern economy in the early twentieth century, which was largely impoverished, only partly industrialized, and still feeling the effects of the plantation system.

Also, the use of regional details, colloquialisms, and distinctive characters characteristic of Welty’s writing is helpful in understanding the cultural standards and practices of the rural South in this period in American history. The issues such as superstition, family devotion, and the gossipy nature of the rural communities depicted through the story accurately embody the social patterns and practices that governed people’s lives in this setting. Welty’s fiction is a tribute to the character of the American South, the legends of which are saturated with folk elements, oddity, and ceremonial practices (Gifford et al., 2020). This keen focus on cultural subtlety allowed Welty to present a realistic portrayal of the culture inherent in the southern region in which the story was set.

“Why I Live at the P.O.” is an example of a story that reflects and comments upon the time’s culture, society, and economics. As a reflection of this setting, the story gives a clear account of the social relations and hierarchies that defined the society in the American South. Welty’s concern with the details of the characters’ speech, family roles and status, and gender positions mirrors the dominant male power structures in the Southern States in the 1930s (Bendixen & Nagel, 2020). For example, the female protagonist, Sister, lacks agency for decision-making, and the freedom she can exercise in the story is a powerful portrayal of oppression and gender roles in this geographical setting (Welty, 1987). In anchoring the story so convincingly within the terms of this historical epoch, Welty positions her readers to interface with the actual social circumstances that defined the lives of people such as her characters.

Welty’s story serves as a commentary on such embedded social, economic, and cultural paradigms. In this way, the author deconstructs the characters and their choices, which puts the reader in an ambiguous position concerning the norms and power relations that regulate the heroines’ lives. For example, when Sister decides to retire to the post office’s isolation, it can be interpreted as a rejection of the strict roles assigned to women in this male-dominated world. Her rejection of traditional roles as a woman of the South and her desire for independence, even in small doses, can be viewed as a rebellion against the social norms that aimed to control the individuality and freedom of the women of the South.

In addition, Welty’s focus on the quirky Southern characters and outcasts challenges the norms and expectations of the society of the American South. By calling attention to such aspects, the author encourages the readers to contemplate how the traditions and practices of a particular region may support and limit the people in it. Therefore, “Why I Live at the P.O.” by Eudora Welty provides a complex and meaningful view of the Southern American experience of the early twentieth century (Bendixen & Nagel, 2020). In this way, the story gives the readers the reflections of the region while challenging the dominant narrative that defined the setting through the prescription of societal roles and power relations, thus encouraging the readers to consider the historical context and the role of individuals against the story’s backdrop.

To complement the detailed portrayal of that world’s social, economic, and cultural realities, Welty also applies several narrative strategies to directly convey her critical stance on that region to the reader. First, she effectively uses irony and satire, some of this genre’s most common techniques. Through the use of this bitter, sarcastic humor in the characters’ characterization and portrayal, the author presents a provocative commentary on the social norms and hierarchies of the society depicted in the story. For example, her caricature of the family’s banal quarrels and laughable obsession with social position and honor effectively demeans the perceived significance of these provincial customs (Welty, 1987). Thus, the ironic tone of the story, which Welty establishes through the detached third-person perspective and the ironic juxtaposition of the characters’ desires with their social roles, allows the reader to share the author’s critical view of the conventional expectations and limitations placed upon the characters.

It is also possible to argue that the author’s focus on idiosyncrasies and characters’ quirkiness may also be a form of critique. In this context, Welty appears to revel in those aspects of regional culture that contribute to the isolation and exclusion of people who deviate from normative behavior and expectations. Her adoption of the characters’ unconventional personalities and behaviors also subtly challenges the formalism of Southern culture and gender division.

Welty also expresses her opinions through the complex characterization of the feminine protagonist. Through the revelation of Sister’s first-person perspective, the reader gains a sense of the character’s emotions and personal suffering and is encouraged to empathize with the character entirely. This narrative strategy gives Welty a voice to express her critical views of the social injustices and restricted freedom of women in this male-dominated world. For example, the narrator despises the other female characters, including her sister Stella-Rondo; this may be attributed to Welty’s skepticism of the role of patriarchy in fueling division and rivalry among the oppressed fact that the protagonist sees these other women as competitors and threats rather than potential groups (Welty, 1987). The friends and allies point to how Welty exposes the damaging effects of gender roles and the division of the feminine into hierarchically ranked categories.

Literary Criticism of the Story

A significant aspect of the narrative style Welty employs in this story is the ironic and satirical style she uses to portray her critical view of the social and cultural aspects of the American South. In the story, Welty uses irony, sarcasm, and mockery of the family and their obsession with status and gossip, effectively deconstructing the significance of the regional traditions and customs. For example, Welty’s exaggerated and ridiculous acts in relation to the family members, such as the exaggerated histrionics of Stella-Rondo or the grandmother’s fixation on the outer image, are a form of satire.

Through her writing, Welty makes the reader question the propriety of the protagonist’s behavior and their submission to socially constructed roles and gender expectations. Also, it is significant to note that by choosing to focus on the quirkiness of her characters, Welty went against the grain of the conventional culture of that society, which was a rigid conformity to the norms of the society. By siding with the protagonists’ individualistic personalities and rebellious actions, the novel critiques Southern society’s oppressive nature.

Furthermore, the female protagonist, Sister, is complex as the readers get insight into her mind and experience her first-person perspective. Employing this narrative method, Welty can present her critical position concerning the structural injustice and confinement that women endure in this patriarchal society. Sister’s representation of the other female characters as despicable, for instance, can be interpreted as the author’s criticism of the demand for existing gender roles that force women to constantly battle each other. In addition to irony and satire, free indirect discourse is also at play in the work, allowing the reader to enter into the main character’s subjectivity. Sister is the novel’s protagonist, and thus, the reader gets the opportunity to be in the main character’s first-person perspective and witness her interpretation of the events that take place. This narrative technique assists the reader in deepening Welty’s critical perspective even further, as the reader can see how Sister is oppressed in the family and angry at the role she is forced to play because of her gender. Moreover, Welty’s decision to paint the picture of Sister’s personality and behavior as incongruent with the cultural norms can be viewed as an act of countercultural resistance to the dominant cultural norms that encouraged conformity. Therefore, the ambiguous and multifaceted plot of “Why I Live at the P. O.” by Welty gives a reader a notion about the injustice of the American South and, at the same time, presents a story of the triumph of the individual over the oppressive structure.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by positioning the reader as a spectator to the ridiculous actions and the strict codes that dominate the characters’ lives, Welty encourages readers to think about the social injustice and limited opportunities of early twentieth-century Southern women. Through the first-person narration of a woman, the details of her inner life serve as critiques of the restrictive gender roles that limit the agency of such characters in this context. Lastly, Welty’s diverse and complex plot approaches convey a complex critical voice of the author, thus inviting the readers to reconsider the norms and hierarchies of the society depicted in the story.

References

Bendixen, A., & Nagel, J. (2020). A companion to the American short story. John Wiley & Sons.

Gifford, J., Foltz, M., Maruéjouls-Koch, S., Kidder, O. U., Peppard, A. F., & Parker, L. (2020). XVI American Literature: The Twentieth Century. The Year’s Work in English Studies, 99(1), 1035-1104. https://doi.org/10.1093/ywes/maaa016.

Howell, K. E. (2020). ” Beautiful and Terrible in the Face”: Reconfiguring the Southern Beauty Myth Through the Short Fiction and Autobiographical Writings of Eudora Welty (Master’s thesis, The University of Mississippi).

Welty, E. (1987). Why I Live at the PO (pp. 592-603). University of Mississippi, Communication and Resource Center.

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Research Paper Instructions:
Writers can’t help but be influenced by the events and people around them as they set out to write.

The question is; To what extent do these influences become part of their work and how authors communicate their feelings/beliefs about the world around them.

Literary Analysis Research Paper

For the research project, choose one short story (poem, speeches, and plays are NOT short stories) that we have read this semester and think about how the characters, setting, and themes in the story/drama relate to the period in which it was written.

In an essay of 5-8 pages, discuss how the short story is an analysis and representation of the social, economic, and cultural values of that time period.

How is it a reflection, and how is it a criticism?

Also, discuss how the writer makes their opinions about that world clear to the reader.

In order to write the essay you will need to conduct some research on the historical context AND literary criticism about your story/drama it’s author.

In the final report, you will support your position with specific passages from the story AND give credit to your outside sources within the body of your essay, as well as in a reference list in APA format.

Visit this website:https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_literature/literature_topics_and_research.html for guidance on writing a literary analysis research paper.

****When looking for sources, DO NOT pick sites that are literary analyses or SparkNotes types of coverage. This is considered plagiarism.****

The final research project is not a historical overview but is an examination of how the short story of your choice reflects the period and the criticism it makes of the period.

***Below is my discussion post because we had to pick the story. Here is what I chose ” Eudora Welty’s short story “Why I Live at the P.O.” from her collection A Curtain of Green (1941) for my research project.

Hello everyone,

I chose Eudora Welty’s short story “Why I Live at the P.O.” from her collection A Curtain of Green (1941) for my research project. I was drawn to this story because it vividly depicts the characters and themes that reflect the socio-cultural context of the early 20th-century American South. The protagonist’s seemingly humorous decision to live at the post office unfolds into a deeper exploration of complex family dynamics and societal expectations typical of that period. The small Southern town setting captures the essence of family conflict, individual identity, and societal roles. Welty’s characters, with their distinct quirks and idiosyncrasies, mirror the social and economic conditions of the time.

The protagonist’s struggle for personal autonomy against familial pressure highlights the broader theme of individual independence versus communal expectations. Additionally, the story offers a valuable perspective on the era’s social, economic, and cultural values. It provides insights into the gender roles and family structures of the early 1940s. Welty’s keen observations and nuanced portrayal of human relationships make this story an excellent piece for analyzing how historical context influenced these elements. “Why I Live at the P.O.” is an engaging narrative and a rich resource for exploring the intersection of literature and societal norms.