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Eudora Welty's Why I Live At The P. O '?

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Expectations of Southern Woman in Welty’s “Why I Live at the P.O” The short story “Why I Live at the P.O” by Eudora Welty was published in 1940 by The Atlantic. The story covers a southern family, Papa-Daddy, Uncle Rondo, Mama, and Sister, planning to celebrate the fourth of July. When the sudden appearance of Sister’s sibling, Stella-Rondo, with her child, Shirely T. complicates the family dynamics, eventually forcing Sister out of the house. As one of Welty’s first works, this story introduced readers into what themes to expect from Welty's writings. Her intentions to expose the flawed side of humans and their environment fit well with the growing reformation of family dynamics due to women's suffrage during the mid 1900s. In this mannerism, Welty uses context, …show more content…

The. Her only concern stems from the fact that one of her daughters has a kid and the other is single. Welty making these characters one-dimensional adds another layer as they become stuck in their ways and refuse to apologize even to the end. These characters allowed their favoritism to end with a broken relationship with their daughter. In fact, they claim to have the upper hand, shown in Papa-Daddy attitude when he says he is “too smart” for Sister. From the moment Stella-Rondo appears to when Sister leaves, they make it clear who they believe, and why they stand on the side of Stella-Rondo. The shallowness of these characters added another dimension of depth to the fight between the two sisters. Finally, Welty’s execution of the conflict between Sister and Stella-Rondo in addition to Sister and her traditional roles demonstrates the distinction between married and single women in the south. The first conflict Welty introduces is the one between Sister and Stella-Rondo, making it clear that Sister felt threatened by Stella-Rondo. Bouton believes that Sister was desperate for attention after seeing her position in the family was being threatened and felt an increasing need to prove her

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The narrator and protagonist of this story is Sister, the town’s postmistress. Stella-Rondo, the younger sister of the narrator, is the antagonist. Stella-Rondo keeps turning the other members of the family against Sister by telling them lies about Sister: “Stella-Rondo hadn't done a thing but turn her against me from upstairs while I stood there helpless over the hot stove. So that made Mama, Papa-Daddy and the baby all on Stella-Rondo’s side” (Welty 167). These characters relate to the central idea because it helps give an example of jealousy and hostility toward other

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A Long Journey Eudora Alice Welty was an American short story writer and novelist who wrote about the American South. Welty was born on April 19, 1909 in Jackson, Mississippi and wrote the shorty story “A Worn Path” in 1941. Welty was awarded the presidential medal of freedom among numerous awards including the Order of The South. Eudora Welty passed away on July 23, 2001 in Jackson, MS at the age of 92, Welty lived a great life. In the story “A Worn Path,” by Eudora Welty, Phoenix Jackson’s characterization, symbolism/imagery, and conflict are shown while she is on a journey to get some medicine for her grandson.

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