Old Mortality | Old Mortality

At a glance:

Author: Katherine Anne Porter
First Published: 1938
Type of Work: Novelette
Type of Plot: Social chronicle
Time of Work: 1885-1912
Setting: Texas and New Orleans
Principal Characters: Maria, Miranda, Their grandmother, Harry, Amy, Gabriel, Miss Honey, Eva Parrington
Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction
Subjects: Girls, Family or family life, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Memory, Parents and children, Love or romance, South or Southerners, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, Leadership, Courage, Marriage, West, U.S., Women’s issues, Seventeenth century, Adultery, New Orleans, Death or dying, Scotland or Scottish people, Suffrage or voting rights, Women’s movement, Tuberculosis, Texas, Horses, Women’s rights, Duels or dueling, Battles, Racing, Nobility
Locales: New Orleans, LA, Texas

The Story:

Maria and Miranda, aged twelve and eight respectively, had grown old beyond their years because they continuously heard stories drawn from the memories of grownups in their family. It was hard for them to realize that their father, or Aunt Amy, or Cousin Eva had ever been young.

Twice a year, their grandmother felt compelled to spend a day in the attic, where she opened trunks, read letters, looked at dresses, shoes, ribbons, brooches, and feathers. She cried quietly most of the day, but allowed the little girls to come and go and handle the treasures if...

Old Mortality | Old Mortality

At a glance:

The Story:

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