By Mary Ramsey Evans, MA. A Classic Book Club (Richmond, VA) Facilitator*
After we discussed “Petrified Man,” (See Litchatte 3/11/2019), we addressed “Why I Live at the PO,” perhaps one of Welty’s best-known and most beloved stories. In it, the protagonist who goes by the very southern moniker of “Sister,” finds herself the victim of a scheming sibling bent on alienating her from her entire family. Participants in the discussion noted immediately how once again Welty uses humor to tackle a very serious subject, in this case, a female character’s struggle to be independent in a patriarchal society. The two feuding sisters represent two very different kinds of women—one who challenges patriarchal authority and one who acquiesces. Although, even in the latter Welty seems to suggest (ever so subtly) that patriarchs wield less power over women than they think. Stella-Rondo manipulates both her uncle and her grandfather, in essence, making them at the very most accomplices and possibly even her unwitting subordinates.“So Stella-Rondo says, ‘Sister says, ‘Uncle Rondo certainly does look like a fool in that pink kimono!’ Do you remember who it was really said that? . . . . ‘So that your opinion of your Uncle Rondo, is it?’ he says. ‘I look like a fool, do I?’ Well, that the last straw. A whole day in this house with nothing to do, and then to hear you come out with a remark like that behind my back!’”
Again, Welty gives readers a feminist message firmly placed in a society known to be resistant to such notions. At least one participant commented that the story did not qualify as feminist because the character didn’t make any demands for change, but most agreed that her actions constituted a challenge to established societal expectations of women and thus is feminist. Here Sister makes her own declaration of independence, not coincidently on the 4th of July:
“’So I just picked up the kitchen clock and marched off, without saying ‘Kiss my foot’ or anything, and never did tell Stella-Rondo good-bye . . . But oh, I like it here. It’s ideal, as I’ve been saying. You see, I’ve got everything cater-cornered, the way I like it… .’”
Participants commented on how the diction and dialogue evoked the Old South (place!), but also noted the universal theme of sibling rivalry that serves as the driving force for Sister’s demand for emancipation from a family who is willing to believe her guilty of any offense her more favored sister accuses her of.
“’Well, Stella-Rondo had better thank her lucky stars it was her instead of me came trotting in with that very peculiar-looking child. Now if it had been me that trotted in from Illinois and brought a peculiar-looking child of two, I shudder to think of the reception I’d of got, much less controlled the diet of an entire family.’”
The third and last story we discussed was “A Worn Path.” With this story, we got a decided shift in tone and purpose. While there are some moments of humor, in this story Welty relies instead on the mythological quest to tell the of Phoenix Jackson, an ancient black woman who must take a long and difficult journey to get medicine for an ailing grandchild. Beginning with the character’s name, Welty signals to the reader that this “Phoenix” will indeed accomplish her purpose despite encountering many obstacles, both physical (thorn bushes, a black dog, a log over a water, a white man with a gun, a scarecrow, an unsympathetic nurse, and her own weakness) and mental (she daydreams about a piece of cake when she’s hungry and she becomes confused when she arrives at the doctor’s office).
Participants in the discussion were quick to notice, however, that none of these things deterred Phoenix from her quest. That she will succeed is never in doubt. Here she is confronted by a white man who tries to persuade her to give up her quest:
“’Where do you live, Granny?’ he asked, while the two dogs were growling at each other.
‘Away back yonder, sir, behind the ridge. You can’t even see it from here.’
‘On your way home?’
‘No sir, I going to town.’
‘Why, that too far! That’s as far as I walk when I come out myself, and I get something for my trouble.’ . . . .
’Now you go on home, Granny!’
‘I bound to go to town, mister, said Phoenix. ‘The time come around’”
Underlying the quest is another obstacle that firmly roots the story in the American South, i.e., racist notions about Phoenix. Here again, Welty goes against the established ideas and attitudes of her beloved South. She gives readers a character who is imbued with the attributes of a mythological hero—bravery, perseverance, and even nobility (Welty clothes Phoenix in colors of gold and red). Participants in our discussion agreed that with this character, Welty signals her respect and admiration of a people long mistreated and misunderstood by whites. She does, however, give the reader “good” white characters in the story seemed to acknowledge that race cannot singularly define anyone as good or bad.
We closed our discussion with many words of praise for Welty and her work. The smiles around the table seemed to confirm that Welty had some new fans. Many of them said that they would read more of her work. If you are interested in reading Eudora Welty, I would recommend The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. If you want to laugh, don’t miss “Why I Live at the PO” and “Petrified Man.” But the truth is that almost everything Welty writes has some humor in it, even if it is in the midst of a larger more serious subject. This collection of all her published short stories will give new readers a broad exposure to Welty’s humor, her social conscience, and her deep knowledge and admiration of mythology. If you prefer to read a novel, I would recommend The Optimist’s Daughter, Welty’s semi-autobiographical and Pulitzer-Prize winning novella. It’s classic Welty—making you laugh AND cry!
Send comments to Mary Ramsey Evans at the bottom of this post.
For information about our Classic Book Club, write Litchatte Editor, Murray Ellison at ellisonms2@vcu.edu
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