Father Melancholy’s Daughter (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Gail Godwin
- First Published: 1991
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: 1972-1988
- Setting: Romulus, Virginia, and Charlottesville, North Carolina
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Bildungsroman, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, 1970’s, Self-discovery, Mothers, Parents and children, South or Southerners, Self, 1980’s, Spiritual life or spirituality, Fathers, Duty, Depression, mental, Priests, Episcopal church
- Locales: Charlottesville, NC, Romulus, VA
Characters Discussed
Margaret Gower, the protagonist and narrator. Margaret’s father, Walter, is an Episcopal priest; her mother, Ruth, abandoned the family when Margaret was six years old. Walter is a victim of frequent bouts of depression, and as Margaret grows older, she gradually assumes her mother’s old role of caretaker for him. Sharing her father’s introspection, as well as his faith in God and in the church, she tries to find a path into the confusing world of adulthood. She is, in turns, insightful and naïve about herself and those close to her. A generally...
[The entire page is 1082 words long]
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