Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. It was first published as a long story in the new yorker in march 1969 and was subsequently revised and published in book form in 1972. Large cast of characters and complex relationships. Alone in the old house, laurel finally comes to an understanding of the past, herself, and her parents. The optimists daughter is a compact and inwardlooking little novel, a pulitzer prize winner thats slight of page yet big of heart. The optimists daughter is a short novel by american author eudora welty. The optimist s daughter is a compact and inwardlooking little novel, a pulitzer prize winner thats slight of page yet big of heart. Dec 02, 2015 the optimist s daughter is the story of laurel mckelva hand, a young woman who has left the south and returns, years later, to new orleans, where her father is dying. This book opens with judge mckelva seeing a doctor with both his daughter and his second wife fay lauras stepmother because hes having trouble. The optimists daughter eudora welty, 1972 knopf doubleday 192 pp.
The guide was developed by lee anne bryan, former education and outreach specialist for the eudora welty house and garden, and includes stimulating questions and discussion points that will be helpful and engaging for book clubs and study groups as well as classes reading the. This study guide consists of approximately 65 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the optimist s daughter. Howard moss won the 1972 national book award for his volume, selected poems. The omen discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading of john berendts midnight in the garden of good and evil.
The optimists daughter is a pulitzer prize for fictionwinning short novel by eudora welty. Dalzell shares a hospital room with judge mckelva while he recovers from his eye surgery. Welty reports that her father was an optimist, but that her mother was the more daring individual of the two. The optimists daughter by eudora welty was first published in 1969 as a long short story in one issue of the new yorker.
In addition to the storyform, youll also find any additional analysis or media related to the story in question more analysis the others. This partially autobiographical story explores the subtle bonds between parent and child and the complexities of love and grief. Sep 16, 2018 its the optimists daughter, which won the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1973. The optimist s daughter is the story of laurel mckelva hand, a young woman who has left the south and returns, years later, to new orleans, where her father is dying. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the optimists daughter by eudora welty. After his death, she and her silly young stepmother go back still farther, to the small mississippi town where she grew up. The optimist in question is 71yearold judge mckelva, who has come to a new orleans hospital from mount salus, mississippi, complaining of a disturbance in his vision. This months selection is the optimists daughter by eudora welty. What is the time, place, event, and major theme of the optimists daughter, written. Nov 12, 2019 the next selection for the free bronx river books instore reading group, which will meet on november 12 at 6 pm, is the optimists daughter by eudora welty. The optimists daughter by eudora welty the optimists.
Laurel is the dutiful daughter who is taking care of her father, while fay is selfish and can only think of the impact on her life. O that is in every short story anthology known to man. Any good book group discussion topics or questions. The optimist s daughter by eudora welty was first published in 1969 as a long short story in one issue of the new yorker. The question and answer section for the optimists daughter is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel ask your own question. Losing a baby, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, leaves so many parents lost in grief and full of unanswered questions. Gina zoberski wants to make it through one day without her fastidious mother, lorraine, cataloguing all her faults, and her sullen teenage daughter, may, snubbing her.
The optimists daughter explores themes of differences among people, past and present, loss and moving on with a high degree of wisdom, subtlety, and humor. Discussion of themes and motifs in eudora weltys the optimists daughter. Readers guide developed by lee anne bryan, former education and outreach specialist for the eudora welty house and garden 1. The optimists daughter is one of the books that i am assigned to read for a workshop im taking in february. The optimists daughter is the tale of laurel mckelva, a middleaged widower living in chicago, called to new orleans to be with her ailing father the judge. To ask other readers questions about the optimists daughter, please sign up. I cant quite believe im about to admit this on the internet, but i had never read eudora welty before i picked up this book not even that short story why i live at the p. The focus is on the characters, particularly laurel the optimists daughter and her struggle to reflect and process love and loss, move ahead in a healthy way to the present from the past. The focus is on the characters, particularly laurel the optimist s daughter and her struggle to reflect and process love and loss, move ahead in a healthy way to the present from the past. Essay ideas, study questions and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout the optimists daughter by eudora welty. Laurel mckelva is the complete opposite of wanda fay. In the optimists daughter judge mckelva will soon enter eye surgery to fix a slipped retina. Laurel has a air of maturity and understanding around her due to her experiences in life. The best book eudora welty has ever written, the optimist s daughter is a long goodbye in a very short space not only to the dead but to delusion and to sentiment as well.
The book consists of only a small number of scenes but they are developed extensively with great artistry. The question and answer section for the optimists daughter is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and. Laurels mother died from cancer that started with her eyes and the family fears that the judge might be suffering from the same illness. We meet once a month in a cafe or restaurant in the forest hills, queens area. Youve reached the hub for any and all dramatica analysis of the optimists daughter. We will be discussing the book the adventures of huckleberry finn by mark twain. The optimists daughter by eudora welty discover bccls. In the optimist s daughter judge mckelva will soon enter eye surgery to fix a slipped retina. The optimist s daughter is the tale of laurel mckelva, a middleaged widower living in chicago, called to new orleans to be with her ailing father the judge. Laurel reads to her father, both the paper and novels, while fay beats on his chest and screams at him. Judge mckelva, his daughter, laurel, and his new wife, fay, are all anxious about the surgery and what might happen. Its the optimists daughter, which won the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1973.
The optimists daughter books you may not have heard of. The optimist s daughter is a pulitzer prize for fictionwinning short novel by eudora welty. Thoughts on eudora weltys the optimists daughter by. The bereaved optimists book club was created to share book suggestions for and by families who have experienced a stillbirth.
The optimists daughter by eudora welty 1960 is a novel exploring the. The optimist s daughter eudora welty, 1972 knopf doubleday 192 pp. After his death, she and her silly young stepmother go back still farther, to the small. After his death, she and her silly young stepmother go back still farther, to the small mississippi town where. The fairfax library book discussion group will meet this thursday, november 10th at 7 p. She is kind hearted, nice, caring, and intelligent. The novel begins with judge mckelva, fay, and laurel in an examining room, with dr.
Random house has produced two audiobook adaptations of the optimists daughter, an unabridged version in 1986 and an abridged version in 1999. The optimists daughter, pulitzer prizewinning short novel by eudora welty, published in 1972. Its divided into four parts and even though im going to summarize each part, im really not giving much away about the book because it is a characterbased book. Read and discuss the optimists daughter the next selection for the free bronx river books instore reading group, which will meet on november 12 at 6 pm, is the optimists daughter by eudora welty. This is a group for people who love to read and enjoy sharing ideas and opinions about books over dinner. Ok, i feel like im writing one of those guidelines for a discussion group. How about a break from the latest literary sensations. The bereaved optimists book club charlottes purpose. Her novel, the optimists daughter, won the pulitzer prize in 1973. Questions for book group discussion on the optimists daughter. A readers guide to and a synopsis of the optimists daughter are now available under resources on this website. The optimists guide to letting go opens with a quote from anita diamants the red tent.
The optimists daughter by eudora welty about the book. In the optimists daughter, readers will discover a large cast of characters and the complexity of their relationships, the rich humor and subtlety of dialog that reveals without describing, the wideness of scope compressed within the boundaries of a short novel, the wisdom and. The forest hills book group forest hills, ny meetup. This is an excellent novel that bears close reading by an important american author. Eudora welty died of pneumonia in jackson, at the age of 92. This article was most recently revised and updated by kathleen kuiper, senior editor. The adventures of huckleberry finn please join us for the next meeting of our adult book club scheduled for tuesday, april 9, at 1. And it did not surprise me that laurel held onto a book for comfort when she. The optimists daughter the optimists daughter audiobook, by eudora welty. We hope that they will provide you with new ways of looking atand talking abouta book that edmund white has called the best nonfiction novel since in cold blood. The next selection for the free bronx river books instore reading group, which will meet on november 12 at 6 pm, is the optimists daughter by eudora welty. This study guide consists of approximately 65 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the optimists daughter. Nov 07, 2011 the fairfax library book discussion group will meet this thursday, november 10th at 7 p.
Random house has produced two audio book adaptations of the optimist s daughter, an unabridged version in 1986 and an abridged version in 1999. What is the time, place, event, and major theme of the optimist s daughter, written. It concerns a woman named laurel, who travels to new orleans to take care of her father, judge mckelva, after he has surgery for a detached retina. The optimist s daughter explores themes of differences among people, past and present, loss and moving on with a high degree of wisdom, subtlety, and humor. This is another book with a strong female lead character.
The optimists daughter is the story of laurel mckelva hand, a young woman who has left the south and returns, years later, to new orleans, where her father is dying. The story line is simple, but welty takes a difficult and complex situation and resolves it with incredible depth and meaning. Awarded second place in the 2017 american journal of nursing book of the year awards in consumer health. The optimists daughter by eudora welty facilitated by. Members are welcome to actively participate in or simply listen to hour long memberled discussions. Thus laurel returns home, after the death of her mother, after her father has remarried the common wanda fay, as he lies in a. The more a daughter knows about the details of her mothers lifewithout flinching or whiningthe stronger the daughter. Your unique perspective on these books is valuable. The author of the coincidence of coconut cake unfolds a motherdaughter story told by three women whose time to reckon with a lifealtering secret is running out. I hope crs will give the optimists daughter a try hey, at 200 pages of beautiful.
The anniversary of this achievement is a fitting time to reach for this superb short novel. The optimists daughter discussion questions eudora welty this study guide consists of approximately 65 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the optimists daughter. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Any good book group discussion topics or questions for this book. Members meet six times a year to discuss books members have voted to read. The optimist s daughter is a compact and inwardlooking little novel, a pulitzer prize winner that s slight of page yet big of heart. This book opens with judge mckelva seeing a doctor with both his daughter and his second wife fay laura s stepmother because he s having trouble. The optimists daughter, which first appeared in the new yorker of march 15, 1969, is a miracle of compression, the kind of book, small in scope but profound in its implications its story has all those qualities peculiar to the finest short novels. The optimists daughter by eudora welty 1960 literaryladiesguide. The best book eudora welty has ever written, the optimists daughter is a long goodbye in a very short space not only to the dead but to delusion and to sentiment as well. Those who didnt enjoy the topsyturvy eccentricity of losing battles will be happy to find miss welty back in the changeless countryside of her earlier short novels where memory is the eternal revenant keeping alive places and people often in the mortmain of the past.
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