The Dollmaker (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Harriette Arnow
- First Published: 1954
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: Late autumn, 1944, to late autumn, 1945
- Setting: Appalachian Kentucky and Detroit, Michigan
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Social realism, Family literature
- Subjects: Factories, Family or family life, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Mothers, Parents and children, South or Southerners, Gender roles, 1940’s, Midwest, Dreams, Poverty or poor people, Women’s issues, City life, Carpentry or carpenters, Tragedy, Appalachia, Dolls or dollhouses, Kentucky, Unions or unionism
- Locales: Detroit, MI, Kentucky
Characters Discussed
Gertie Nevels, the dollmaker, a wood- carver and a strong, resilient woman from the mountains of Kentucky. Gertie stashes any extra money she has in the hem of her coat, and with these savings she dreams of buying a farm. When her husband, Clovis, finds work in Detroit and sends for the family, she tries to buy a farm, but the purchase is prevented by her mother, who believes that Gertie’s place is with her husband. Her mountain nature is at odds with the city, but her resourcefulness helps pay the bills when Clovis is laid off and later, after Clovis is...
[The entire page is 1267 words long]
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