I love American southern literature. It fills me up. It spans such a long period of time and it spans so many literary styles. I love that I can read slave narratives by Douglass and Jacobs, but then read the weird stories of Flannery O'Connor and her turnip-shaped heart imagery. Faulkner. Welty. Twain.
I've noticed that the beginnings of American literature were really formed by a few individuals. It wasn't a mass and popular concept to produce fiction, until Irving came along. Most of the beginning literature was politico propaganda against the oppressive country across the pond. And, the culture of America's beginnings was so anti-Mother England that it was an eclectic mix of new, fresh phenomena. I mean, you've got the Gullah culture, the deep, fundamental and primitive Baptist culture, the agricultural culture, the uneducated finding passion in religion because that's something they can actually grasp....even though it's not a tangible thing.
The whole genre is an enigma that I enjoy studying. It's not just literature. It's music. It's visuals/images. It's cultural fads. It's simplicity. It's complexity. It's so rich. It's like indulging in a filthy, bad-for-you thing. But, it only does me good.
I'm guessing you're enjoying your southern literature class? I don't know any about it, but you make it sound cool :P maybe I'll get into it...someday lol Love jU!
ReplyDeleteHey, Maggie -
ReplyDeleteThere are some good schools out there for Southern Lit, some of the best are UNC-Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, Suwanee, and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). That said, many southern universities have one or two good Southern Lit scholars on their faculty. I would suggest that you also speak to your current Southern Lit professor and get his or her opinion. Once you find two or three possibilities, go ahead and research the faculty in those programs and see if there are any individuals with whom you would like to work - those who are working in specific areas of Southern Lit that jive with your own interests. Don't be shy about contacting these individuals and asking them questions - build a rapport. They can be extremely helpful and even improve your chances of not only getting accepted, but also increasing your chances of getting an assistantship or fellowship, which can pay for your schooling and give you some money to live on. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with your search.
Tyrie