Beyond the screened porch: The storytelling tradition in southern women writers

Abstract

In my dissertation, I analyze the storytelling tradition in two 20th century novels by Southern women writers, Carson McCullers' Member of the Wedding and Lee Smith's Fair and Tender Ladies, exploring the use of stories, language and silences in the main characters. I focus on the stories and words of the daughters and trace the evolution of the daughters to creators and artists. Using a feminist approach, I argue for a re-examination of Member of the Wedding as an essential piece of literature, important for the later development of women's voices in literature. I see Fair and Tender Ladies as a contemporary fulfillment of women's voices; the novel recognizes and celebrates the value of the tradition of women's storytelling.