Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Saturday, April 2, 2011

Eudora Welty-Two Short Stories -"A Curtain of Green" and "The Hitch-Hikers"

"A Curtain of Green"  (1941, pages)  and "The Hitch-Hikers" (1941, 6 pages) both by Eudora Welty


I have already posted on four short stories by Eudora Welty (Mississippi, USA 1909 to 2001).   In my post on her wonderful story "Why I Live at the P. O."  I have given some background information on Welty.

I recently learned from Amateur Reader that Welty maintained a long term correspondence with Henry Green.  She was also good friends with Elizabeth Bowen.   I do not yet have it verified but I think she must have met them when she was travelling on a fellow ship in England.   She also lectured at Oxford and Cambridge.   Bowen lived in Oxford for a while and if Welty met her then she could have met Green through Bowen.   If anyone has more details on this please leave a comment.

All of the six stories I have read by Welty are very different from each other while having similarities.    Each is  set in a small town in the American south.    Each does deal with people on the edge, those who do not quite fit into society.  

"A Curtain of Green" is a fascinating story about a woman trying to cope with her grief over the death of her husband by working in her garden.   The woman becomes more and more withdrawn while her garden becomes wilder and wilder.    It is really brilliant and took me into the mind of the woman.   I also see the reaction of others in her community to her.  

You can read it online.

They tell you it is never a a good idea to pick up hitch-hikers and "The Hitch-Hikers"  sure showed me why!   A business man sees two hitch-hikers  by the side of the road and he decides to pick them up.    The business man is a confusing character.   He ends up at a very strange party.    This is a puzzling kind of story but I think it will stick with me.  

You can read it online

I like all the six stories I have read or heard by Welty.   Each person in her stories seem real.    I for sure will be rereading more Welty-if anyone has any suggestions, please leave a comment.

If anyone has any short story suggestions please leave a comment


Mel u

No comments: