An American Childhood (Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Biography Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Annie Dillard
- First Published: 1987
- Time of Work: 1950–1962
- Setting: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Principal Characters: Annie Dillard, Pam Doak, Frank Doak, Frank, Judy Schoyer
- Genres: Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Children, Family or family life, Self-discovery, Memory, Adolescence, Nature, Self, Authors or writers, Books, Upper classes, Youth, Reading, Intellect, Ponds
- Locales: Pittsburgh, PA
Form and Content
In An American Childhood, Annie Dillard does not provide the young adult reader with a chronological history of childhood adventures and experiences, though some are included. There is no continuous narrative and no actual plot. Rather, Dillard renders a vivid account of the growth of a mind, of a self. Through a short prologue, the author introduces the two main ingredients of her story: setting and self-consciousness. Pittsburgh, as setting, functions more like a major character with a history, topology, and personality, its importance underscored by...
[The entire page is 1766 words long]
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