Big as Life (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Maureen Howard
- First Published: 2001
- Type of Work: Novellas
- Time of Work: 2001; the 1930’s to the 1940’s; 1826
- Setting: Connecticut; New York City and Long Island; Ireland; Louisiana
- Principal Characters: George Baird, Marie Claude Montour, Mary (Mae) Boyle, Nuala (Nell) Boyle, John James Audubon, Lucy Audubon, Artie Freeman, Louise Moffett, Anonymous narrator
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Family or family life, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Wives, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, New York City, Art or artists, Twenty-first century, 1940’s, 1930’s, New England, Poverty or poor people, Women, Connecticut, Death or dying, Inheritance or succession, Painting or painters, Wealth, Abandonment, Ireland or Irish people, Houses, mansions, or manors, Louisiana, Seasons, Spring
- Locales: New York, NY, Connecticut, Louisiana, Ireland
Big as Life is the second installment, after A Lover’s Almanac (1998), in a planned quartet of books chronicling the seasons, this one devoted to Spring. The work is a collection of three novellas—“Children with Matches” (April), “The Magdalene” (May), and “Big as Life” (June)—which, though separate narratives, coalesce in ingenious ways. All deal with the powers of continuity and regeneration and the salvific influence of art on human consciousness.
On the surface, the tales appear to have nothing in common with one another. “Children with...
[The entire page is 1947 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
