Eudora WeltyEudora Welty

Biography and CriticismBiography and Criticism

BirthBirth

Born on April 13, 1909 ; Jackson, Born on April 13, 1909 ; Jackson, MississippiMississippi– Father - Christian Webb Welty; an insurance Father - Christian Webb Welty; an insurance

company presidentcompany president– Mother - Chestina Andrews; a teacher in West Mother - Chestina Andrews; a teacher in West

Virginia  Virginia  – Parents provided Eudora with a loving home, a Parents provided Eudora with a loving home, a

strong family, and a love of reading strong family, and a love of reading

Raised in a middle class familyRaised in a middle class family

ChildhoodChildhood Spent her childhood days in Jackson, Spent her childhood days in Jackson,

MississippiMississippi Loved to readLoved to read Checked out two books each day at the Checked out two books each day at the

Andrew Carnegie Library: “I cannot Andrew Carnegie Library: “I cannot remember a time when I was not in love remember a time when I was not in love with [books].”  This library was later with [books].”  This library was later renamed the Eudora Welty Library. renamed the Eudora Welty Library.

Played with her brothersPlayed with her brothers Learned how to play sports such as Learned how to play sports such as

baseball and golfbaseball and golf Rode her bicycle around town Rode her bicycle around town 

EducationEducation

Attended Mississippi State College for Attended Mississippi State College for Women (now Mississippi University for Women (now Mississippi University for Women), 1926-27Women), 1926-27

Attended the University of Wisconsin, Attended the University of Wisconsin, B.A., 1929B.A., 1929

Attended Columbia University Attended Columbia University Graduate School of Business, 1930- 31 Graduate School of Business, 1930- 31

Adult LifeAdult Life Demonstrated an early interest in painting Demonstrated an early interest in painting

and photography and photography Returned to Jackson, MS during the Returned to Jackson, MS during the

Depression after father’s deathDepression after father’s death Worked for newspapers and radio stations in Worked for newspapers and radio stations in

Mississippi during early depression yearsMississippi during early depression years Worked as a publicity agent for the state Worked as a publicity agent for the state

office of the Works Progress Administration office of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) – took photographs of places, studied (WPA) – took photographs of places, studied troubled juveniles, interviewed peopletroubled juveniles, interviewed people– "It took me all over Mississippi, which is the most "It took me all over Mississippi, which is the most

important thing to me, because I'd never seen important thing to me, because I'd never seen it. . . . [The experience] was the real germ of my it. . . . [The experience] was the real germ of my wanting to become a real writer, a true writer.“wanting to become a real writer, a true writer.“

Adult Life (cont.)Adult Life (cont.)

Was briefly a member of the Was briefly a member of the New York New York Times Book ReviewTimes Book Review staff, in New York, staff, in New York, NY. NY.

Was made an honorary consultant in Was made an honorary consultant in American letters, Library of Congress, American letters, Library of Congress, beginning 1958.beginning 1958.

Loved photography and gardening. Loved photography and gardening. Maintained a huge garden with/for her Maintained a huge garden with/for her mother, and later in memory of her mother, and later in memory of her mother.mother.

Significant WorksSignificant Works Wrote many novellas, novels, and short Wrote many novellas, novels, and short

stories.stories.

Listed below are the most noteworthy titles:Listed below are the most noteworthy titles:– ““A Curtain of Green” 1941A Curtain of Green” 1941– The Robber BridegroomThe Robber Bridegroom (novella), 1942 (novella), 1942 – Delta WeddingDelta Wedding 1946 1946 – Ponder HeartPonder Heart, 1954 , 1954 – Losing BattlesLosing Battles (novel) 1970 (novel) 1970 – The Optimist’s Daughter,The Optimist’s Daughter, 1972 1972– The Collected Stories of Eudora WeltyThe Collected Stories of Eudora Welty 1980 1980 – One Writer's BeginningsOne Writer's Beginnings 1984 (autobiography) 1984 (autobiography)

Awards and RecognitionAwards and Recognition Won many awards, including the list Won many awards, including the list

below:below:– O. Henry Award 1942, 1943, 1968O. Henry Award 1942, 1943, 1968 – National Book Award for fiction National Book Award for fiction ((Losing Losing

BattlesBattles) 1971) 1971 – Pulitzer Prize in fiction for ThePulitzer Prize in fiction for The Optimist's Optimist's

Daughter Daughter 19731973 – National Medal for Literature 1980National Medal for Literature 1980 – French Legion of Honor-(highest civilian French Legion of Honor-(highest civilian

honor) 1996honor) 1996 – First living writer ever to be included in First living writer ever to be included in

the prestigious Library of America series the prestigious Library of America series 19991999

Positive Criticism/Accolades Positive Criticism/Accolades 11

““If there is any key to her importance, it If there is any key to her importance, it exists in the faithful exercise of a creative exists in the faithful exercise of a creative imagination.” imagination.” – Welty uses her imagination to see, hear, and Welty uses her imagination to see, hear, and

celebrate different aspects of the human celebrate different aspects of the human experience; she effectively conveys this experience; she effectively conveys this imagery to readers so that they too can imagery to readers so that they too can experience the situations in her writing. Welty experience the situations in her writing. Welty will sometimes focus on a character who must will sometimes focus on a character who must suffer through a problem, work through a suffer through a problem, work through a mystery, and/or understand the reality of a life mystery, and/or understand the reality of a life experience. Welty takes these very real experience. Welty takes these very real experiences and transmutes them into the experiences and transmutes them into the language of fiction. Critics enjoy this aspect of language of fiction. Critics enjoy this aspect of her work.her work.

Positive Criticism/Accolades Positive Criticism/Accolades 22

““Local customs of speech and language have also Local customs of speech and language have also had a marked influence on her fiction” as well as had a marked influence on her fiction” as well as her consistent use of the “southern settings.”her consistent use of the “southern settings.” – Her stories/novels are often set in Mississipi. This Her stories/novels are often set in Mississipi. This

attachment to place allows Welty to draw upon her life attachment to place allows Welty to draw upon her life experiences and strengths with dialect; however, she experiences and strengths with dialect; however, she uses this familiar setting to delve into the depths of uses this familiar setting to delve into the depths of universal human experience, so her works are not universal human experience, so her works are not simply regional. Welty tries to imitate the Southern simply regional. Welty tries to imitate the Southern dialect in her work. She loves to listen to people speak, dialect in her work. She loves to listen to people speak, and she tries to effectively reproduce that in her writing. and she tries to effectively reproduce that in her writing. She also believes that Southerners are "born reciters" She also believes that Southerners are "born reciters" and "great memory retainers,” meaning that and "great memory retainers,” meaning that Southerners like herself are effective story tellers; they Southerners like herself are effective story tellers; they also have vivid memories which help to enhance the also have vivid memories which help to enhance the stories. stories.

Negative Criticism/Perceived Negative Criticism/Perceived Flaws 1Flaws 1

““In the 1960s, an objection flared up which had In the 1960s, an objection flared up which had first been kindled among a few liberals with the first been kindled among a few liberals with the publication of publication of Delta WeddingDelta Wedding: They found it a : They found it a hopelessly regional exercise in nostalgia for the hopelessly regional exercise in nostalgia for the lost life of the southern plantation.”lost life of the southern plantation.”– Race relations were heated in the 1960s. Welty, as a Race relations were heated in the 1960s. Welty, as a

prominent southern author, was expected to “employ her prominent southern author, was expected to “employ her talents in the cause of civil rights,” which she did not do in talents in the cause of civil rights,” which she did not do in this book. Welty’s this book. Welty’s responseresponse to this review also garnered to this review also garnered great criticism. Welty said “there is the relationship great criticism. Welty said “there is the relationship between the races. How can one kind of relationship be between the races. How can one kind of relationship be set apart from the others? Like the great root system of set apart from the others? Like the great root system of an old and long-established growing plant, they are all an old and long-established growing plant, they are all tangled up together." The critics felt that Welty lacked tangled up together." The critics felt that Welty lacked awareness of social issues that were painfully obvious.awareness of social issues that were painfully obvious.

Negative Criticism/Perceived Negative Criticism/Perceived Flaws 2Flaws 2

Some critics believe that her “fiction is Some critics believe that her “fiction is notably lacking in villainous characters and notably lacking in villainous characters and behavior.”behavior.”– Welty tends to show tolerance for all of Welty tends to show tolerance for all of

humanity, so the characters – even negative humanity, so the characters – even negative ones – tend to be shown in a forgiving light. This ones – tend to be shown in a forgiving light. This element takes away from the realism of her element takes away from the realism of her work. Critics also compare and contrast Welty to work. Critics also compare and contrast Welty to other Southern writers like William Faulkner and other Southern writers like William Faulkner and Robert Penn Warren who DID focus on the darker Robert Penn Warren who DID focus on the darker side of southern history. Considering this darker side of southern history. Considering this darker view of southern life which did exist in literature view of southern life which did exist in literature of the time, Welty seems to be naively positive.of the time, Welty seems to be naively positive.

DeathDeath

Died on July 23, 2001 in Jackson, Died on July 23, 2001 in Jackson, MississippiMississippi

Died from pneumoniaDied from pneumonia