The Facts on File Companion to the American Short Story, 2nd Edition (Companion to Literature Series)

859 Pages·2009·12.67 MB·English

by  Abby H. P. Werlock

The facTs O n fil e
Companion to tHE
american
shOrT sTOry
second edition
C D
EditEd by Abby H. P. WErlock
AssistAnt Editor: JAmEs P. WErlock
Dedicated to my father, Thomas Kennedy Potter,
and my mother, Abby Holmes Potter.
In memory of Henry Imada of Colorado,
Teddy Miller of Minnesota,
Paul Smith of Connecticut
storytellers all, whose stories will never end.
the Facts on File Companion to the american Short Story, Second Edition
copyright © 2010, 2000 Abby H. P. Werlock
All rights reserved. no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without
permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact:
Facts on File, inc.
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new york ny 10001
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data
the Facts on File companion to the American short story / edited by Abby H. P. Werlock ; assistant editor, James
P. Werlock.—2nd ed.
p. cm.
includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-8160-6895-1 (acid-free paper) isbn: 978-1-4381-2743-9 (e-book) 1. short stories, American—
Encyclopedias. i. Werlock, Abby H. P. ii. Werlock, James P. iii. Facts on File, inc. iV. title: companion to the
American short story.
Ps374.s5F33 2009
813'.0103—dc22 2009004725
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text design adapted by James scotto-lavino
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book printed and bound by maple-Vail book manufacturing Group, york, Pa.
date printed: december, 2009
Printed in the United states of America
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this book is printed on acid-free paper and contains 30 percent postconsumer recycled content.
Contents
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AcknoWlEdGmEnts v
PrEFAcE to tHE sEcond Edition vii
introdUction ix
A-to-Z EntriEs 1
APPEndixEs
i. Winners of selected short story Prizes 727
ii. suggested readings by theme and topic 786
iii. selected bibliography 801
list oF contribUtors 805
indEx 807
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story The book has been greatly enhanced by the gener-
owes its genesis to several farseeing people, chief ous contributions of established scholars in diverse
among them James Warren, former acquisitions edi- areas of American literature: Professors Alfred Ben-
tor at Facts On File; Professor Alice Hall Petry, Eng- dixen, California State University at Los Angeles; Jac-
lish Department chair at Southern Illinois University; queline Vaught Brogan, University of Notre Dame;
Dr. Mickey Pearlman, scholar, author, and editor; and Stephanie P. Browner, Berea College; J. Randolph Cox,
Anne Dubuisson, former agent at the Ellen Levine St. Olaf College; Richard Deming, Columbus State
Literary Agency. At St. Olaf College, President Melvin Community College; Robert DeMott, Ohio University;
R. George and Dean Jon M. Moline offered encourage- Monika Elbert, Montclair State University; Christine
ment and approved a yearlong sabbatical, and Dean Doyle Francis, Central Connecticut State University;
Kathie Fishbeck authorized a special leave as this Warren French, University of Swansea; Mimi Glad-
book took shape. stein, University of Texas at El Paso; Harriet P. Gold,
A number of librarians shared with me their impres- LaSalle College and Durham College; Sandra Chrystal
sive resources and research skills: Robert Bruce, Betsy Hayes, Georgia Institute of Technology; Carol Hova-
Busa, Professor Bryn Geffert, and Professor Mary Sue nac, Ramapo College; Frances Kerr, Durham Techni-
Lovett of the St. Olaf College Library answered a pleth- cal Community College; Michael J. Kiskis, Elmira
ora of bibliographical inquiries; Jennifer Edwin of the College; Denise D. Knight, State University of New
Carleton College Library provided timely assistance York at Cortland; Paula Kot, Niagara University; Keith
with information on prizewinning stories; Professor Lawrence, Brigham Young University; Caroline F.
Laurie Howell Hime of the Miami Dade Community Levander, Trinity University; Saemi Ludwig, Univer-
College Library consistently contributed on- and off- sity of Berne; Suzanne Evertsen Lundquist, Brigham
line research skills; and Larry L. Nesbitt, Director, Young University; Robert M. Luscher, University of
Mansfi eld State University Library, and Nancy Robin- Nebraska at Kearny; Robert K. Martin, Université de
son of the Bradford County Library, Pennsylvania, Montréal; Michael J. Meyer, DePaul University; Fred
provided invaluable help with interlibrary loan acqui- Moramarco, San Diego State University; Gwen M.
sitions. Moreover, I owe an immense debt to the many Neary, Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State
scholars and critics whose published work on the University; Luz Elena Ramirez, State University of
American short story provided a signifi cant founda- New York, College at Oneonta; Jeanne Campbell Rees-
tion for my own research and writing. Their names man, University of Texas at San Antonio; Ralph E.
appear in the bibliographies throughout the book. Rodriguez, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer L.
v
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vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Schulz, University of Washington; Wilfred D. Samu- particularly Marsha Case; Amy Gibson; Teddy, Van,
els, University of Utah; Carole M. Schaffer-Koros, Vannie, Andy, and Debby Miller; Dewey Potter; Meg
Kean College of New Jersey; Ben Stoltzfus, University and Matt Potter; Tony Wellman; and Jennifer and
of California at Riverside; Darlene Harbour Unrue and John Winton.
John C. Unrue, University of Nevada at Las Vegas;
Linda Wagner-Martin, University of North Carolina at
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOR
Chapel Hill; Sylvia Watanabe, Oberlin College; Philip
THE SECOND EDITION
M. Weinstein, Swarthmore College; and Dr. Sarah
Bird Wright, independent scholar and author. I would like to acknowledge the people without whose
For linking me with their talented graduate stu- support there would be no second edition of this book.
dents who study the short story, I wish to thank Pro- First and most signifi cantly, I would like to express my
fessors Suzette Henke, University of Louisville; Keneth gratitude to the expert contributors—a good many of
Kinnamon, University of Texas at Austin; James Nagel, them veterans of the fi rst edition—who not only wrote
University of Georgia; Elaine Safer, University of Del- excellent entries but often made valuable suggestions
aware; Alfred Bendixen; Robert DeMott; Mimi Glad- for additional authors and titles. Spending extra time
stein; and Linda Wagner-Martin. I especially wish to to write on a plethora of topics were the talented and
acknowledge the expert contributions of these gradu- dedicated professors David Brottman, Southern Indi-
ate students whose knowledge contributed so notably ana University; Sanford E. Marovitz, Kent State Uni-
to the scope and accuracy of this book. Their names versity; Imelda Martín-Junquera, Universidad de León;
appear both in the list of contributors and after each Michael Meyer, De Paul University; Patti Sehulster,
of the entries they wrote. For technical help with the Westchester Community College; Carolyn Whitsun,
inevitable computer crises, I thank Paul Marino and Metropolitan State University; and Bennett Yu-Hsiang
Van Miller of Northfi eld, Minnesota, and Van Miller Fu, National Taiwan University. Very special thanks
II, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. go to my agent, Diana Finch, of the Diana Finch Liter-
I am most grateful to Diana Finch, my agent at the ary Agency, and my editor, Jeff Soloway, Executive
Ellen Levine Literary Agency, for monitoring this under- Editor at Facts On File. Unquestionably, their patience,
taking and making a number of helpful suggestions; their ideas, and their support made this book possible.
Laurie Likoff, Editorial Director, Facts On File, for her I would also like to thank Beth Williams of the Mans-
long-term support of the entire project; and Michael G. fi eld University Library for all her help with acquiring
Laraque, Chief Copy Editor, whose veteran editing skills scores of books through interlibrary loan, and Sue
helped make this a better book. Most of all, I thank Wolfe, of the Allen F. Pierce Free Library, for help with
Anne Savarese, my former editor at Facts On File. She book matters great and small. Matt Strange, my guru
understood this book from the beginning, and without at Autograph Systems, saved my hard drive and my
her intellect, insights, dedication, and sheer stamina, data more times than I can remember. My friends in
The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story Troy and on Armenia Mountain, Pennsylvania—Mal-
would have been impossible to complete. lory Babcock, Carole DeLauro, Vivian Hall, and Carol
In writing and compiling the entries for this book, Van Zile—gave me unconditional support when I
I was fortunate to have quiet writing retreats at the most needed it, as did friends Lindy and Don Neese in
homes of Verna and John Cobb, in Tuxedo Park, Markham, Virginia. My husband, Jim, gave me hours
New York; Jean and Marshall Case, in Troy, Pennsyl- and more hours of his valuable time. And my mother,
vania; and Tom and Abby Potter, in Tallahassee, Abby Holmes Potter, who died while this book was in
Florida. I wish to thank them along with the many progress, never wavered in her interest in all things
lovers of short stories who discussed their favorites, literary.
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PREFACE TO THE
SECOND EDITION
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Nine years after the publication of the fi rst edition of women writers across the lines of “gender, race, class,
The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, ethnicity and sexuality” (12). Other scholars, such as
short fi ction continues to be widely read and to gain in Rocio G. Davis, J. Gerald Kennedy, Gerald Lynch,
both popularity and serious academic interest. This and James Nagel, have not only written on the impor-
edition maintains the focus and main concerns of the tance of the short story and the short story cycle but
fi rst and has virtually doubled the size. A signifi cant also on its appeal to those of various ethnic back-
new feature of this edition is the inclusion of entries on grounds, both in the United States and in Canada. In
major Canadian writers (such as Alice Munro, Marga- his study of the short story cycles of Louise Erdrich,
ret Atwood, Mavis Gallant, Mordecai Richler, Carol Jamaica Kincaid, Susan Minot, Sandra Cisneros, Tim
Shields, and Morley Callaghan) and their stories. Other O’Brien, Julia Alvarez, Amy Tan, and Robert Olen
major additions include an increased number of entries Butler, the scholar James Nagel notes the cross-eth-
on stories by classic American writers; a signifi cant nic, gender, and racial appeal of the short story: “Lit-
expansion of entries on contemporary writers and sto- erature is no small social force, in the sense that it
ries; and updates, where relevant, on all writers, living provides a window into the soul of a nation, revealing
or dead. Bibliographies have also been updated, as have both its anguish and its bliss, its promise and its
the major prize lists, and new information has been ongoing internal struggle” (258).
added to a number of topical entries, including those The American fascination with the short story and
on African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic- the short story cycle continues unabated. The appear-
American, and Native American short fi ction. ance of fi lm adaptations of short stories is indicative of
Scholars, as always, disagree over the current state the power of the genre; witness, for instance, the subse-
of American short fi ction. Many have made interest- quent feature-length fi lm adaptation of Annie Proulx’s
ing and provocative claims in recent years. Some crit- Brokeback Mountain. Similarly, the many important
ics believe that, although it made a “lasting mark” in recent books on the genre testify to its vitality. Exam-
the latter half of the 20th century, postmodernism in ples include The Contemporary American Short-Story
the short story is coming to an end (Kaylor 266). Oth- Cycle: The Ethnic Resonance of Genre (2001), The Postmod-
ers disagree. Some feminist scholars have pointed to ern Short Story: Forms and Issues (2003), The Art of Brev-
the ability of the short story form to express women’s ity: Excursions in Short Fiction Theory and Analysis (2004),
concerns and ethnic issues: Ellen Burlington Har- a reprint of Frank O’Connor’s The Lonely Voice (2004),
rington, for instance, sees the “compressed and elas- Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen: 35 Great Sto-
tic form of the story” as particularly suitable for ries That Have Inspired Great Films (2005), The Art of the
vii
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viii PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
Short Story (2005), Short Story Writers and Short Stories Bloom, Harold. Short Story Writers and Short Stories. New
(2005), The Cambridge Introduction to the American Short York: Chelsea House, 2005.
Story (2006), Behind the Short Story: From First to Final Davis, Rocío. Transcultural Reinventions: Asian American and
Draft (2007), The Cambridge Introduction of the Short Asian Canadian Short-Story Cycles. Toronto: Tsar, 2001.
Harde, Roxanne, ed. Narratives of Community: Women’s
Story in English (2007), and Scribbling Women and the
Short Story Sequences. Newcastle, England: Cambridge
Short Story Form (2008).
Scholars Publishing, 2007.
In addition to books, journals and magazines con-
Harrington, Ellen Burton. Scribbling Women and the Short
tinue to feature short stories, but it is the Internet that
Story Form. New York: Peter Lang, 2008.
has truly transformed the genre by expanding the
Harrison, Stephanie. Adaptations: From Short Story to Big
opportunity to publish and read short stories. Although Screen: 35 Great Stories That Have Inspired Great Films.
the century is young and no real consensus has been New York: Three Rivers Press, 2005.
reached vis-à-vis the long-range quality of online mag- Hunter, Adrian, ed. The Cambridge Introduction of the Short
azines, they are clearly attracting many writers and Story in English. New York: Cambridge University Press,
readers, and their subject matter ranges from adven- 2007.
ture to sexuality to science fi ction to horror to fantasy. Iftekharrudin, Farhat, et al., eds. The Postmodern Short
Story: Forms and Issues. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2003.
The new century seems to offer an energizing climate
Kaylor, Noel Howard. “Postmodern Narrative around the
for all forms of short fi ction, perhaps because, in the
World.” In The Postmodern Short Story: Forms and Issues,
words of scholar Martin Scofi eld, “Its ratio of insight to
edited by Farhat Iftekharrudin, et. al., 246–266. West-
length is greater than that of the novel” (238).
port, Conn.: Praeger, 2003.
This second edition of The Facts On File Companion
Lynch, Gerald. The One and the Many: English-Canadian
to the American Short Story includes more than 200 new Short Story Cycles. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
entries, many on new or younger writers (such as Junot 2001.
Díaz, Dan Chaon, and Charles D’Ambrosio) and their Lynch, Gerald, and Angela Arnold Robbeson, eds. Domi-
stories (Julia Alvarez’s “Ironing Their Clothes,” Edward nant Impressions: Essays on the Canadian Short Story.
P. Jones’s “Bad Neighbors,” Joy Williams’s “Health,” Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press, 1999.
Dave Eggers’ “Up the Mountain, Coming Down Martin, Wendy. The Art of the Short Story. Boston: Hough-
ton Miffl in, 2005.
Slowly,” Lorrie Moore’s “People Like That Are the Only
McSweeney, Kerry. The Realist Short Story of the Power-
People Here,” Helena Viramontes’s “The Moths,” to
ful Glimpse: Chekhov to Carver. Columbia: University of
name just a sampling). We have also added entries on
South Carolina Press, 2007.
many frequently anthologized stories by such classic
Nagel, James. The Contemporary American Short-Story Cycle:
writers as Nathaniel Hawthorne (“The Minister’s Black
The Ethnic Resonance of Genre. Baton Rouge: Louisiana
Veil”), Bret Harte (“The Outcasts of Poker Flat”), and State University Press, 2001.
Robert Penn Warren (“Blackberry Winter”), as well as Nischik, Reingard M., ed. The Canadian Short Story: Inter-
entries on such “rediscovered” writers as John Milton pretations. Rochester, N.Y.: Camden House, 2007.
Oskison and Anzia Yzierska, again, to name only two. Scofi eld, Martin, ed. The Cambridge Introduction to the
Clearly, in all its many forms, the short story contin- American Short Story. New York: Cambridge University
ues to speak to contemporary readers, perhaps because, Press, 2006.
Van Cleave, Ryan G., and Todd James Pierce, eds. Behind
in Ellen Harrington’s words, the process of reading
the Short Story: From First to Final Draft. New York: Pear-
them “comes to symbolize the larger grasping after
son, 2007.
comprehension of the nature of reality itself” (7).
Winter, Per, et al., eds. The Art of Brevity: Excursions in
BIBLIOGRAPHY Short Fiction Theory and Analysis. Columbia: University of
Banks, Russell. “Introduction.” In The Lonely Voice, edited South Carolina Press, 2004.
by Frank O’Connor, 5–12. Hoboken, N.J.: Melville
House Publishing, 2004.
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INTRODUCTION
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“The Americans have handled the short story so won- haps most important of all, short stories are short. In
derfully,” said the Irish writer Frank O’Connor, that it an era when even many novels seem noticeably shorter
constitutes “a national art form.” Although by now it than they once were, the most obvious reason for the
may seem an “old” form (since the fi rst American short popularity of short stories may well lie in the response
story was, arguably, published as early as 1789), it is I have heard hundreds of times from readers of all
still thriving: Witness its sales, its apparent vogue types: “I like to keep them on my night table so I can
among high school students, its increased use in col- read one or two before I fall asleep.” Younger read-
lege courses across the curriculum, the proliferation of ers—particularly those who identify themselves as
public short story readings at bookstores, the explo- “Generation Xers”—say they feel drawn to the short
sion of book clubs, and the acclaimed National Public story not only because it is not lengthy, but also
Radio series of short story readings Selected Shorts. As because it seems less artifi cially wrapped up than the
the writer Shirley Ann Grau remarked in an interview, novel, and thus more like “real life.” Remarking on the
people are still reading the short story “like mad.” microcosmic relationship of the story to modern life,
In response to readers’ requests for more short fi c- the critic William Peden fi nds that the short story
tion suggestions, an updated and revised edition of a now appears as a “literary mirror” that refl ects our
reading group guide by Mickey Pearlman, What to postwar life, in which change, obsolescence, and
Read (1999), includes a new chapter on short story destruction have become the realities:
collections. In fact, from Charles Brockden Brown and
Washington Irving, through Mark Twain, Ernest Unlike the traditional novelists, the short story
Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and William Faulkner, writer usually does not bring his powers to bear
to Joyce Carol Oates, Raymond Carver, Sandra Cisne- on the grand questions of where are we going,
ros, Louise Erdrich, John Edgar Wideman, and Amy why are we here. Rather, he focuses his atten-
Tan, short fi ction—although it suffered a critical tion, swiftly and clearly, on one facet of man’s
decline in the mid-20th century—has never really lost experience; he illuminates briefl y one dark cor-
its popularity with the reading public. ner or depicts one aspect of life.
To the contrary, short fi ction has continued to
appear in major magazines from the New Yorker and Stories have existed in one form or another, of
Redbook to Esquire, Playboy, and Penthouse; good story course, for as long as people have told them and lis-
collections and anthologies are readily accessible tened to them. We can picture storytellers and their
through inexpensive paperback reprints; and, per- audiences as they probably existed thousands of years
ix
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