From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?”
Known for her lyrical evocations of the American South, Eudora Welty’s short story “Where is the Voice Coming From?” is unique in her oeuvre for both its intense topicality and its direct treatment of the Southern racism that is often only obliquely acknowledged in her fiction. This article examines...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Charles University
2018-07-01
|
| Series: | Prague Journal of English Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/pjes-2018-0005 |
| _version_ | 1797228758195765248 |
|---|---|
| author | Ha Quan-Manh Hitchcock Ryan |
| author_facet | Ha Quan-Manh Hitchcock Ryan |
| author_sort | Ha Quan-Manh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Known for her lyrical evocations of the American South, Eudora Welty’s short story “Where is the Voice Coming From?” is unique in her oeuvre for both its intense topicality and its direct treatment of the Southern racism that is often only obliquely acknowledged in her fiction. This article examines how Welty maintains her characteristically deep sympathy for her characters, and her profound attention to detail, while narrating the event of a horrific and racist murder. Furthermore, by providing biographical details of the real life “Goat Dykeman”, G.W. Hydrick, informed readers see how even in a brief story about contemporary events, Welty is continually aware of regional history and assumptions, and she uses details, sometimes very subtly, to attach layers of meaning to her stories. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T15:01:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a7392aff1064591a8a70cca723646bb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2336-2685 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T15:01:47Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | Charles University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Prague Journal of English Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a7392aff1064591a8a70cca723646bb2024-04-02T14:47:56ZengCharles UniversityPrague Journal of English Studies2336-26852018-07-0171799510.1515/pjes-2018-0005pjes-2018-0005From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?”Ha Quan-Manh0Hitchcock Ryan1University of Montana, Missoula, USA and University of Wyoming, Laramie, USAUniversity of Montana, Missoula, USA and University of Wyoming, Laramie, USAKnown for her lyrical evocations of the American South, Eudora Welty’s short story “Where is the Voice Coming From?” is unique in her oeuvre for both its intense topicality and its direct treatment of the Southern racism that is often only obliquely acknowledged in her fiction. This article examines how Welty maintains her characteristically deep sympathy for her characters, and her profound attention to detail, while narrating the event of a horrific and racist murder. Furthermore, by providing biographical details of the real life “Goat Dykeman”, G.W. Hydrick, informed readers see how even in a brief story about contemporary events, Welty is continually aware of regional history and assumptions, and she uses details, sometimes very subtly, to attach layers of meaning to her stories.https://doi.org/10.1515/pjes-2018-0005american southsouthern racismcivil rights movementmedgar eversbyron de la beckwith“big red” hydrickgoat dykeman |
| spellingShingle | Ha Quan-Manh Hitchcock Ryan From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” Prague Journal of English Studies american south southern racism civil rights movement medgar evers byron de la beckwith “big red” hydrick goat dykeman |
| title | From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” |
| title_full | From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” |
| title_fullStr | From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” |
| title_full_unstemmed | From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” |
| title_short | From “Big Red” Hydrick to Goat Dykeman: Eudora Welty’s Navigation between the Fictional and the Real in “Where Is the Voice Coming From?” |
| title_sort | from big red hydrick to goat dykeman eudora welty s navigation between the fictional and the real in where is the voice coming from |
| topic | american south southern racism civil rights movement medgar evers byron de la beckwith “big red” hydrick goat dykeman |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/pjes-2018-0005 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT haquanmanh frombigredhydricktogoatdykemaneudoraweltysnavigationbetweenthefictionalandtherealinwhereisthevoicecomingfrom AT hitchcockryan frombigredhydricktogoatdykemaneudoraweltysnavigationbetweenthefictionalandtherealinwhereisthevoicecomingfrom |