Petrified Man (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Eudora Welty
- First Published: 1939
- Type of Work: Short story
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: Small-town life, Gossip, Pretensions, Hairdressing or hairdressers
- Locales: South (U.S.)
The title “Petrified Man” refers to one of the oddities in a traveling freak show that has stopped off in a small southern town. However, the title character never appears in person, nor is he even the main topic in the conversation between Leota, a beautician, and her customer, Mrs. Fletcher. The story takes place in a beauty shop, where Leota is giving Mrs. Fletcher a shampoo and set. During the hour that it takes to complete the process, the two women engage in what appears to be polite conversation. The external action in “Petrified Man” is minimal; the real drama takes...
[The entire page is 542 words long]
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