Family as Theater in Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O. Essay

Family as Theater in Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O. The outspoken narrator of Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O., cognize to us only as Sister, intends to convince us--the world at large--that her family has turned against her, guide on by her sister, i placea-Rondo. To escape her family, she explains, she has left home and now lives at the P.O., where she is postmistress. As she delivers her monologue, the narrator reveals more about herself than she intends. We see her as a self- reduceed young woman who enjoys picking fights and provoking histrionic scenes in which she is the center of attention. not too far into the story, we realize that others in the family behave as melodramatically as Sister does, and we begin to wonder why. The storys setting may grant the answer In a small town in Mississippi, sometime by and by World War II and before television, entertainment is scarce. The members of this family cope with isolation and boredom by casting themse lves in a continning melodrama, with each person thievery as many scenes as possible. The first-person point of view is crucial to the tooth root of Weltys story. It is both quicker and funnier to show that the narrator is self-centered and melodramatic than it would be to tell it. Sister is definitely the star in the melodrama. She begins her tale with I, and every guinea pig is made to revolve around herself, even her sisters marriage I was getting along fine with Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo until my sister Stella-Rondo just separated from her husband and came gage home again. Mr. Whitaker Of course I went with Mr. Whitaker first, when he first appeared here in china Grove, taking Pose Yourself photos, and Ste... ...eful to show us, the narrator is not the only self-centered, melodramatic member of this family. Given the family history, we can be fairly sure that things will concisely be back to normal. The narrator will move back home, and the family, we lcome the diversion, will no doubt find a way of turning her recurrence into a new round of excitement. Works Cited Prenshaw, Peggy Whitman, ed. Conversations with Eudora Welty. Jackson UP of Mississippi, 1984. Romines, Ann. How Not to Tell a Story. Eudora Welty Eye of the Storyteller. Ed. Dawn Trouard. Kent Kent State UP, 1989. 94-104. Welty, Eudora. The Eye of the Story Selected Essays and Reviews. parvenu York Vintage, 1979. ---. One Writers Beginnings. New York Warner, 1984. ---. Why I Live at the P.O. The still Stories of Eudora Welty. New York Harcourt, 1980. 46-56. Family as Theater in Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O. EssayFamily as Theater in Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O. The outspoken narrator of Eudora Weltys Why I Live at the P.O., known to us only as Sister, intends to convince us--the world at large--that her family has turned against her, led on by her sister, itella-Rondo. To escape her family, she explains, she has lef t home and now lives at the P.O., where she is postmistress. As she delivers her monologue, the narrator reveals more about herself than she intends. We see her as a self-centered young woman who enjoys picking fights and provoking melodramatic scenes in which she is the center of attention. Not too far into the story, we realize that others in the family behave as melodramatically as Sister does, and we begin to wonder why. The storys setting may provide the answer In a small town in Mississippi, sometime after World War II and before television, entertainment is scarce. The members of this family cope with isolation and boredom by casting themselves in a continning melodrama, with each person stealing as many scenes as possible. The first-person point of view is crucial to the theme of Weltys story. It is both quicker and funnier to show that the narrator is self-centered and melodramatic than it would be to tell it. Sister is definitely the star in the melodrama. Sh e begins her tale with I, and every event is made to revolve around herself, even her sisters marriage I was getting along fine with Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo until my sister Stella-Rondo just separated from her husband and came back home again. Mr. Whitaker Of course I went with Mr. Whitaker first, when he first appeared here in China Grove, taking Pose Yourself photos, and Ste... ...eful to show us, the narrator is not the only self-centered, melodramatic member of this family. Given the family history, we can be fairly sure that things will soon be back to normal. The narrator will move back home, and the family, welcoming the diversion, will no doubt find a way of turning her homecoming into a new round of excitement. Works Cited Prenshaw, Peggy Whitman, ed. Conversations with Eudora Welty. Jackson UP of Mississippi, 1984. Romines, Ann. How Not to Tell a Story. Eudora Welty Eye of the Storyteller. Ed. Dawn Trouard. Kent Kent State UP, 1989. 94-104. Welt y, Eudora. The Eye of the Story Selected Essays and Reviews. New York Vintage, 1979. ---. One Writers Beginnings. New York Warner, 1984. ---. Why I Live at the P.O. The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. New York Harcourt, 1980. 46-56.