American Southern Literature

1. American Southern Literature Melinda McDaniel Ellie Mast Aubrey Martin

2. Southern Literature 101 “ ‘Southern literature’ announces the conjunction of the U.S. South and an expressive art—texts identified as belonging to a particular history, social organization, and cultural imaginary” (5).

3. Much of what is known as southern literature was written between 1830s and 1960s. During this period in history, the South and North portions of the United States were beginning to show signs of disunity. Southerners wanted to separate themselves from the Northerners, thus they chose to write entirely different works. • “…and writers and readers of the South correspondingly defined themselves against the place (the North) or the ideology (Anti-Slavery, Industrial Capitalism) that they saw themselves as different from” (5).

4. Purpose One of the integral aspects of southern culture and tradition, is of it’s colorful literature and storytelling. Common themes of southern writers include: significant familial relationships, great diction, and realistic characters. Writers in the south also had a sense of background and a unique way of life worth writing about.

5. Influences in Southern Writing Slavery Civil War Segregation Revolution in culture Poverty Military/ War

6. Elements of Southern Writing Style Dialect Writing Not used often in other writings because it is viewed as condescending to the race or ethnicity being portrayed. Popular in Southern writing and incorporates local speech and patterns i.e. ain’t, y’all etc. and misspelling of words to display meaning i.e. yuh (you) and lak (like)

7. Dialect Writing Cont. Examples of books with dialect writing: Tom Sawyer To Kill a Mockingbird Their Eyes Were Watching God Huck Finn The Color Purple

8. Examples of Dialect Writing Excerpts from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston "At dat she ain't so ole as some of y'all dat's talking." "She ain't even worth talkin' after," Lulu Moss drawled through her nose. "She sits high, but she looks low. Dat's what Ah say 'bout dese ole women runnin' after young boys."

9. Common Themes Chivalry This theme reflected southern culture where women were treated with respect and were delicate flowers to be doted upon.(ideally) Some of the best American romance novels are written by Southern authors because of this utopian romanticism. i.e. Gone With The Wind

10. Themes Continued Values and Morals Many values and morals in southern literature are a result of a strong Christian influence especially of the rigid Baptist church. Family values are also very prominent. Usually this theme is presented from a traditional standpoint.

11. A Writing Culture “the South, perhaps more than any other region, we go back to our home in dreams and memories, hoping it remains what it was on a lazy, still summer's day twenty years ago” (1) - Willie Morris

12. Southern Poetry “Like our folks, poetry here is hillbilly and gentry, down-home and intellectual, neighborly and reclusive, generous and vengeful—like folks everywhere, I guess—but with a more colorful vernacular and hand-rubbed vowels.”                —Wendy Carlisle(8) Southern Poetry was often written by men. Some talented southern poets include: Edgar Allen Poe, Sidney Lanier, James Weldon Johnson, John Crowe Ransom and many more.

13. Poetry Continued Surprisingly, Southern poetry is very similar to other poetry. However there were some very unique poets from the south like Edgar Allen Poe: ONCE upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. " 'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —                                         Only this, and nothing more.” (Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven)

14. Southern Gothic Writing • “Southern gothic, a genre of the American South, retreats from the dark castles and clanking chains of 19th-century European literature to embrace the moody romance, mystery, terror, and grotesqueries”(4). • Examples: William Faulkner’s “A Rose For Mary”, and novels by Eudora Welty.

15. Great Southern Novels To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison The Color Purple by Alice Walker Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell In Cold Blood by Truman Capote The Mind of The South by Wilbur Cash

16. Great Southern Writers There are numerous famous southern authors. Each person had different life experiences, thus they wrote and included varying themes in their books. Themes vary from reader to reader but prominent ones in southern works include: injustice, prejudice, standing up for your beliefs and many more.

17. Margaret Mitchell Margaret grew up hearing stories of war and wishing she was a boy so she could fight. As a young adult, Margaret Mitchell’s mother passed away while she was attending college. She went back home to be with her family, but had great difficulty getting along with her father due to her independent nature. Displayed in Gone With The Wind (Scarlett)

18. William Faulkner Many say William’s short stories resembled his life. They included struggles with rage, alcoholism, and adultery. Each of these hardships were sadly common in Southern America during the 1920s through 1950s and even today. His works were famous in the South and encouraged many more southern novels.

19. Flannery O’Connor Religion was a key factor in her life and thus reflected in her writing. She devout Roman Catholic but many of the characters in her books were Protestant. “It was her observation that Protestants expressed their faith through dramatic action, something she did not see in Catholics” (7).

20. Impact of Southern Writing on The Literary World With the arousal of southern literature came a new more authentic style of writing. They went against the grain by using small town issues and “average joe” dialect that made “their” South come to life. Many novels also aided in awareness on issues like racism and poverty. With the unassuming grace of the great south these authors have enlightened us on a culture filled with romanticism and lamentable family values.

21. Bibliography http://www.clarke.public.lib.ga.us/pathfinders/southernauthors/swriters.html http://www.fofweb.com/Lit/default.asp?ItemID=WE54 http://www.southernlitreview.com/authors/margaret_mitchell.htm http://www.ageefilms.org/southern_books.html http://www.southernspaces.org/contents/2004/mackethan/5a.v2.htm http://www.wisegeek.com http://southernlitreview.com/authors/flannery_oconnor.htm http://www.storysouth.com/poetry_features/2006/01/women_intro.html http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060838676/Their_Eyes_Were_Watching_God/excerpt.aspx