In this seminar paper I am going to deal with Katherine Anne Porter’s short story Old Mortality, which was first published in the Southern Review, in 1937 (Literature Online Biography). Initially, I am going to depict Katherine Anne Porter’s life as well as the autobiographical elements which permeate Old Mortality. However, the central focus of this paper lies on the representation of the short story and its main issues like family and home in addition to the portrayal of memory. Furthermore, it provides facts about the socio-cultural and historical background as well as information on narrative technique and cultural signifiers.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Biography of Katherine Anne Porter (1890-1980) – her life and work
- Katherine Anne Porter and Texas
- Autobiographical elements in Old Mortality
- Plot and Analysis of Old Mortality
- Themes
- The Souhtern Belle
- Greensickness in Old Mortality
- Memory
- Socio-Historical Background
- The Old South
- The New South
- Narrative technique
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This seminar paper aims to analyze Katherine Anne Porter's short story "Old Mortality," exploring its autobiographical elements, its portrayal of family and home, and its representation of memory. The paper also delves into the socio-cultural and historical background of the story, examining narrative techniques and cultural signifiers.
- Autobiographical elements in "Old Mortality"
- The portrayal of family and home
- The representation of memory
- Socio-cultural and historical background
- Narrative techniques and cultural signifiers
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides an overview of the paper's scope and objectives. Chapter 2 delves into the life and work of Katherine Anne Porter, highlighting her ambiguous relationship with her home state of Texas and the autobiographical elements present in her writing. Chapter 3 examines the plot and analysis of "Old Mortality." Chapter 4 explores key themes in the story, including the concept of the Southern Belle, Greensickness, and the role of memory.
Chapter 5 explores the socio-historical background of the story, focusing on the distinctions between the Old South and the New South. Chapter 6 examines the narrative techniques employed by Porter in "Old Mortality." The conclusion will offer a summary of the main arguments and insights gleaned from the analysis.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Katherine Anne Porter, "Old Mortality," Southern literature, autobiography, family, home, memory, socio-cultural background, narrative techniques, cultural signifiers, Southern Belle, Greensickness, Old South, New South.
- Citar trabajo
- Bachelor Katharina Eder (Autor), 2007, "Old Mortality" by Katherine Anne Porter - an Analysis, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/171955
