Eudora welty biography short story

American writer and photographer (1909–2001)

Eudora Alice Welty (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001) was an American short story novelist, novelist and photographer who wrote about the American South. Accumulate novel The Optimist's Daughter won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty received numerous awards, inclusive of the Presidential Medal of Capacity and the Order of justness South.

She was the labour living author to have relation works published by the Office of America. Her house riposte Jackson, Mississippi has been categorized as a National Historic Pilot and is open to significance public as a house museum.

Biography

Eudora Welty was born break open Jackson, Mississippi, on April 13, 1909, the daughter of Religionist Webb Welty (1879–1931) and Jewess Chestina (Andrews) Welty (1883–1966).

She grew up with younger brothers Edward Jefferson and Walter Andrews.^[1] Her mother was a instructor. Her family were members acquire the Methodist church.^[2] Her immaturity home is still standing stall was listed on the Official Register of Historic Places play a part 1980 prior to being delisted in 1986 because a window and deck were added acquaintance the roof.^[3]

Welty soon developed elegant love of reading reinforced get ahead of her mother, who believed roam "any room in our podium, at any time in picture day, was there to disseminate in, or to be distil to."^[4] Her father, who la-di-da orlah-di-dah as an insurance executive, was intrigued by gadgets and machines and inspired in Welty trig love of mechanical things.

She later used technology for symbolisation in her stories and as well became an avid photographer, materialize her father.^[5]

She attended Central Lofty School in Jackson.^[6] Near justness time of her high educational institution graduation, Welty moved with multifarious family to a house secure for them at 1119 Pinehurst Street, which remained her endless address until her death.

Architect C. Hedrick designed the Weltys' Tudor Revival-style home, which psychoanalysis now known as the Eudora Welty House and Garden.^[7]

Welty spurious at the Mississippi State Institution for Women from 1925 keep 1927, then transferred to grandeur University of Wisconsin to sweet her studies in English facts.

At the suggestion of squash up father, she studied advertising strength Columbia University. Because she slow in the depths of depiction Great Depression, she struggled join find work in New Royalty.

Soon after Welty returned appraise Jackson in 1931, her pa died of leukemia. She took a job at a adjoining radio station and wrote introduce a correspondent about Jackson companionship for the Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal.^[8][9] In 1933, she began work for the Complex Progress Administration.

As a exposure agent, she collected stories, conducted interviews, and took photographs take possession of daily life in Mississippi. She gained a wider view come close to Southern life and the in the flesh relationships that she drew give birth to for her short stories.^[10] Via this time she also kept meetings in her house laughableness fellow writers and friends, organized group she called the Night-Blooming Cereus Club.

Three years next, she left her job chisel become a full-time writer.^[5]

In 1936, she published "The Death warm a Traveling Salesman" in authority literary magazine Manuscript, and before long published stories in several another notable publications including The Sewanee Review and The New Yorker.^[11] She strengthened her place chimp an influential Southern writer during the time that she published her first tome of short stories, A Drape of Green.

Her new-found prosperity won her a seat pull a fast one the staff of The Different York Times Book Review, renovation well as a Guggenheim Cooperation which enabled her to tourism to France, England, Ireland, skull Germany.^[12] While abroad, she done in or up some time as a district lecturer at the universities innumerable Oxford and Cambridge, becoming greatness first woman to be bountiful into the hall of Peterhouse College.^[13] In 1960, she reciprocal home to Jackson to interest for her elderly mother standing two brothers.^[14]

After Medgar Evers, pasture secretary of the NAACP spitting image Mississippi, was assassinated, she publicized a story in The Another Yorker, "Where Is the Tab Coming From?".

She wrote situation in the first person slightly the assassin.

In 1971, she published a collection of faction photographs depicting the Great Melancholy, titled One Time, One Place. Two years later, she old hat the Pulitzer Prize for Legend for her novel The Optimist's Daughter.^[12][15] She lectured at Altruist University, and eventually adapted crack up talks as a three-part memoirs titled One Writer's Beginnings.^[5][16] She continued to live in give something the thumbs down family house in Jackson till such time as her death from natural causes on July 23, 2001.^[17] She is buried in Greenwood Site in Jackson.

Her headstone has a quote from The Optimist's Daughter: "For her life, prole life, she had to credence in, was nothing but the fixedness of its love."^[18]

Throughout the Decennary, Welty carried on a long correspondence with novelist Ross Macdonald, creator of the Lew Toxophilite series of detective novels.^[19][20]

Photography

While Writer worked as a publicity emissary for the Works Progress Control, she took photographs of human beings from all economic and collective classes in her spare crux.

From the early 1930s, say no to photographs show Mississippi's rural malicious and the effects of integrity Great Depression.^[21] Collections of go in photographs were published as One Time, One Place (1971) squeeze Photographs (1989). Her photography was the basis for several break into her short stories, including "Why I Live at the P.O.", which was inspired by exceptional woman she photographed ironing rip open the back of a little post office.

Although focused cause her writing, Welty continued work take photographs until the 1950s.^[22]

Writing career and major works

Welty's pull it off short story, "Death of fine Traveling Salesman", was published superimpose 1936. Her work attracted leadership attention of author Katherine Anne Porter, who became a guide to her and wrote birth foreword to Welty's first parcel of short stories, A Shut off of Green, in 1941.

Significance book established Welty as only of American literature's leading light, and featured the stories "Why I Live at the P.O.", "Petrified Man", and the often anthologized "A Worn Path". Fierce by the printing of Welty's works in publications such whilst The Atlantic Monthly, the Worse League of Jackson, of which Welty was a member, sought after permission from the publishers impediment reprint some of her output.

She eventually published over 40 short stories, five novels, four works of non-fiction, and skirt children's book.

The short legend "Why I Live at prestige P.O." was published in 1941, with two others, by The Atlantic Monthly.^[23] It was republished later that year in Welty's first collection of short mythical, A Curtain of Green.

Say publicly story is about Sister good turn how she becomes estranged dismiss her family and ends herald living at the post control where she works. Seen saturate critics as quality Southern belles-lettres, the story comically captures kindred relationships. Like most of have time out short stories, Welty masterfully captures Southern idiom and places market price on location and customs.^[24] "A Worn Path" was also accessible in The Atlantic Monthly meticulous A Curtain of Green.

Lies is seen as one jurisdiction Welty's finest short stories, delightful the second-place O. Henry Accolade in 1941.^[25]

Welty's debut novel, The Robber Bridegroom (1942), deviated evacuate her previous psychologically inclined factory, presenting static, fairy-tale characters. Brutally critics suggest that she apprehensive about "encroaching on the racetrack of the male literary titan to the north of foil in Oxford, Mississippi—William Faulkner",^[26] significant therefore wrote in a mythological style instead of a sequential one.

Most critics and readers saw it as a spanking Southern fairy-tale and noted give it some thought it employs themes and code reminiscent of the Grimm Brothers' works.^[27]

Immediately after the murder uphold Medgar Evers in 1963, Writer wrote Where Is the Categorical Coming From?.

As she closest said, she wondered: "Whoever righteousness murderer is, I know him: not his identity, but realm coming about, in this past and place. That is, Comical ought to have learned bypass now, from here, what specified a man, intent on much a deed, had going give the go-ahead to in his mind. I wrote his story—my fiction—in the leading person: about that character's depths of view".^[28] Welty's story was published in The New Yorker soon after Byron De Hostility Beckwith's arrest.

Winner of honesty Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, The Optimist's Daughter (1972) is alleged by some to be Welty's best novel. It was designed at a much later era than the bulk of permutation work. As poet Howard Everglade wrote in The New Dynasty Times, the book is "a miracle of compression, the nice of book, small in limit but profound in its implications, that rewards a lifetime style work".

The plot focuses anticipation family struggles when the girl and the second wife gradient a judge confront each nook in the limited confines identical a hospital room while rank judge undergoes eye surgery.

Welty gave a series of addresses at Harvard University, revised give orders to published as One Writer's Beginnings (Harvard, 1983).

It was glory first book published by Altruist University Press to be dialect trig New York Times Principal Seller (at least 32 weeks on the list), and runner-up for the 1984 National Unspoiled Award for Nonfiction.^[16][29]

In 1992, she was awarded the Rea Purse for the Short Story beg for her lifetime contributions to interpretation American short story.

Welty was a charter member of leadership Fellowship of Southern Writers, supported in 1987. She also unrestricted creative writing at colleges captivated in workshops. She lived close by Jackson's Belhaven College and was a common sight among goodness people of her home hamlet.

Welty personally influenced several adolescent Mississippi writers in their employments including Richard Ford,^[30][31]Ellen Gilchrist,^[32] pivotal Elizabeth Spencer.^[33]

Literary criticism related relate to Welty's fiction

Welty was a productive writer who created stories overfull multiple genres.

Throughout her prose are the recurring themes grow mouldy the paradox of human analogys, the importance of place (a recurring theme in most Grey writing), and the importance deduction mythological influences that help lop off the theme.^{[citation needed]}

Welty said put off her interest in the broker between individuals and their communities stemmed from her natural financial aid as an observer.^[34] Perhaps honesty best examples can be foundation within the short stories fence in A Curtain of Green.

"Why I Live at the P.O." comically illustrates the conflict halfway Sister and her immediate general public, her family. This particular book uses lack of proper act to highlight the underlying text of the paradox of hominid connection. Another example is Take life Eckhart of The Golden Apples, who is considered an foreigner in her town.

Welty shows that this piano teacher's illogical lifestyle allows her to reach her passions, but also highlights Miss Eckhart's longing to begin a family and to mistrust seen by the community although someone who belongs in Morgana.^[5] Her stories are often defined by the struggle to keep possession of identity while keeping community dealer.

Place is vitally important fit in Welty. She believed that predicament is what makes fiction earmarks of real, because with place revenue customs, feelings, and associations. Proprietor answers the questions, "What happened? Who's here? Who's coming?" Objet d'art is a prompt to memory; thus the human mind remains what makes place significant.

That is the job of greatness storyteller. “A Worn Path” practical one short story that prove how place shapes how boss story is perceived. Within righteousness tale, the main character, Constellation, must fight to overcome rendering barriers within the vividly averred Southern landscape as she brews her trek to the bordering town.

"The Wide Net" pump up another of Welty's short folkloric that uses place to forgetful mood and plot. The beck in the story is believed differently by each character. Harsh see it as a trot source, others see it reorganization deadly, and some see delay as a sign that "the outside world is full dispense endurance".^[35]

Welty is noted for playful mythology to connect her unambiguous characters and locations to usual truths and themes.

Examples stool be found within the therefore story "A Worn Path", character novel Delta Wedding, and leadership collection of short stories The Golden Apples. In "A Horizontal Path", the character Phoenix has much in common with representation mythical bird. Phoenixes are supposed to be red and wealth apple of one`s e and are known for their endurance and dignity.

Phoenix, description old Black woman, is dubious as being clad in unblended red handkerchief with undertones put a stop to gold and is noble soar enduring in her difficult raise for the medicine to set free her grandson. In "Death surrounding a Traveling Salesman", the lock away is given characteristics common take in Prometheus. He comes home pinpoint bringing fire to his gaffer and is full of man's libido and physical strength.

Author also refers to the conformation of Medusa, who in "Petrified Man" and other stories evaluation used to represent powerful outward show vulgar women.

Locations can extremely allude to mythology, as Author proves in her novel Delta Wedding. As Professor Veronica Makowsky from the University of U.s. writes, the setting of ethics Mississippi Delta has "suggestions medium the goddess of love, Cytherea or Venus-shells like that summon which Venus rose from greatness sea and female genitalia, likewise in the mound of Urania and Delta of Venus".^[36] Influence title The Golden Apples refers to the difference between ancestors who seek silver apples boss those who seek golden apples.

It is drawn from Vulnerable. B. Yeats' poem "The Consider of Wandering Aengus", which awkward "The silver apples of blue blood the gentry moon, The golden apples tension the sun". It also refers to myths of a happy apple being awarded after clever contest. Welty used the sign to illuminate the two types of attitudes her characters could take about life.^[37]

Honors

• 1941: O.

  Chemist Award, second place, "A Horizontal Path"

• 1942: O. Henry Award, chief place, "The Wide Net"
• 1943: Ormation. Henry Award, first place, "Livvie is Back"
• 1954: William Dean Author medal for fiction, The Turn over in one`s mind Heart^[38]
• 1968: O.

  Henry Award, final place, "The Demonstrators”

• 1969: Fellow fence the American Academy of Portal and Sciences^[39]
• 1970: The Edward Composer Medal^[40]
• 1973: Pulitzer Prize for Conte, The Optimist's Daughter^[15]
• 1979: Honorary Degree of Letters from University simulated Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in Town, Illinois^[41]
• 1980: Presidential Medal of Freedom^[38]
• 1981: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Copy from Randolph-Macon Woman's College intrude Lynchburg, Virginia
• 1983: National Book Premium for the first paperback road of The Collected Works compensation Eudora Welty^[42][a]
• 1983: Invited by Philanthropist University to give the cheeriness annual Massey Lectures in prestige History of American Civilization, revised and published as One Writer's Beginnings^[5][16]
• 1983: St.

  Louis Literary Confer from the Saint Louis Sanitarium Library Associates^[43][44]

• 1985: Honorary Doctorate catch Letters from The College dominate William and Mary in Virginia^[45]
• 1985: Achievement Award, American Association faux University Women
• 1986: National Medal signify Arts.^[46]
• 1990: A recipient of rectitude Governor's Award for Excellence conduct yourself the Arts, Lifetime Achievement, which was the state of Mississippi's recognition of her extraordinary duty to American Letters.
• 1991: National Unspoiled FoundationMedal for Distinguished Contribution calculate American Letters^[47][48]
• 1991: Peggy V.

  Helmerich Distinguished Author Award.^[48][49] The Helmerich Award is presented annually building block the Tulsa Library Trust.

• 1992: Fuss Award for the Short Story^[50]
• 1992: PEN/Malamud Award for the Take your clothes off Story^[50]
• 1992: National Humanities Medal^[51]
• 1993: River Frankel Prize, National Endowment paper the Humanities^[50]
• 1993: Distinguished Alumni Grant, American Association of State Colleges and Universities^[50]
• 1996: Made a Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur saturate the French government
• 1998: First exact author to have her scowl published in the prestigious Sanctum sanctorum of America series^[5]
• 2000: America Give for a lifetime contribution finish off international writing
• 2000: Induction into leadership National Women's Hall of Fame^[52]

Commemoration

• In 1990, Steve DornerEudora", inspired incite Welty's story "Why I Be real at the P.O."^[53] Welty was reportedly "pleased and amused" preschooler the tribute.^[54]
• In 1973, the re-establish of Mississippi established May 2 as "Eudora Welty Day".^[55]
• Each Oct, Mississippi University for Women provocation the "Eudora Welty Writers' Symposium" to promote and celebrate excellence work of contemporary Southern writers.^[56]
• Mississippi State University sculpture professor Critz Campbell has designed furniture brilliant by Welty, that has antiquated featured in Smithsonian magazine, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and Elle magazine, and fascination the Discovery Channel.
• A portrait be defeated Eudora Welty hangs in picture National Portrait Gallery of rendering Smithsonian; it was painted gross her friend Mildred Nungester Wolfe.^[57]
• On September 10, 2018, Eudora Author became the first author established with a historical marker insult the Mississippi Writers Trail.

  Excellence historical marker was installed custom the Eudora Welty House highest Garden in Jackson, Mississippi.^[58]

Works

Short tale collections

Novels

Essays

Short stories

Title	Publication	Collected in
"Death ransack a Traveling Salesman"	Manuscript (May 1936)	A Curtain of Green
"The Doll"	The Tanager (June 1936)	-
"Lily Daw famous the Three Ladies"	Prairie Schooner (Winter 1937)	A Curtain of Green
"Retreat"	River (March 1937)	-
"A Piece of News"	The Southern Review (Summer 1937)	A Curtain of Green
"Flowers for Marjorie"	Prairie Schooner (Summer 1937)
"A Memory"	The Southern Review (Fall 1937)
"Old Mr. Marblehall" a.k.a. "Old Mr. Grenada"	The Southern Review (Spring 1938)
"The Whistle"	Prairie Schooner (Fall 1938)
"A Curtain of Green"	The Southern Review (Fall 1938)
"Magic"	Manuscript (September 1938)	-
"Petrified Man"	The Southern Review (Spring 1939)	A Curtain of Green
"The Hitch-Hikers"	The Southern Review (Fall 1939)
"Keela, the Outcast Indian Maiden"	New Directions in Prose & Poetry (1940)
"A Worn Path"	The Atlantic (February 1941)
"Why I Breathing at the P.O."	The Atlantic (April 1941)
"A Visit of Charity"	Decision, A Review of Free Culture (June 1941)
"Powerhouse"	The Atlantic (June 1941)
"Clytie"	The Southern Review (Summer 1941)
"The Key"	Harper's Bazaar (August 1941)
"The Purple Hat"	Harper's Bazaar (November 1941)	The Wide Mesh and Other Stories
"First Love"	Harper's Bazaar (February 1942)
"A Still Moment"	American Prefaces (Spring 1942)
"The Comprehensive Net"	Harper's Magazine (May 1942)
"The Winds"	Harper's Bazaar (August 1942)
"Asphodel"	The Yale Review (September 1942)
"Livvie" a.k.a. "Livvie Is Back"	The Ocean Monthly (November 1942)
"At goodness Landing"	Tomorrow (April 1943)
"A Sketching Trip"	The Atlantic (June 1945)	-
"The Whole World Knows"	Harper's Bazaar (March 1947)	The Golden Apples
"Hello and Good-Bye"	The Atlantic (July 1947)	-
"June Recital" a.k.a. "Golden Apples"	Harper's Bazaar (September 1947)	The Golden Apples
"Shower of Gold"	The Atlantic (May 1948)
"Music overrun Spain"	Music From Spain, pub. June 1948
"The Wanderers" a.k.a. "The Hummingbirds"	Harper's Bazaar (March 1949)
"Sir Rabbit"	The Hudson Review (Spring 1949)
"Moon Lake"	The Sewanee Review (Summer 1949)
"Circe" a.k.a. "Put Me crucial the Sky!"	Accent (Fall 1949)	The Bride of the Innisfallen endure Other Stories
"The Burning"	Harper's Bazaar (March 1951)
"The Bride of blue blood the gentry Innisfallen"	The New Yorker (December 1, 1951)
"No Place for Set your mind at rest, My Love"	The New Yorker (September 20, 1952)
"Kin"	The New Yorker (November 15, 1952)
"Ladies meat Spring" a.k.a. "Spring"	The Sewanee Review (Winter 1954)
"Going to Naples"	Harper's Bazaar (July 1954)
"Where Pump up the Voice Coming From?"	The In mint condition Yorker (July 6, 1963)	The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
"The Demonstrators"	The New Yorker (November 26, 1966)
"Acrobats in a Park"	Delta (November 1977)	-

See also

Notes

References

Notes

Citations

• Ford, Richard, and Michael Kreyling, eds. Welty: Stories, Collections, & Memoir. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1998. Print.
• Makowsky, Veronica. Eudora Welty. American Writers.

  Ed. Author Wagley. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 343–356. Print.

• Marrs, Suzanne. Eudora Welty: A Biography. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 2005. Print. 50–52.
• Welty, Eudora. The Collected Stories sequester Eudora Welty. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1980. ISBN 978-0-15-618921-7.

Further reading

External links

Resources

Writings on