Dec 23, 2009

Why I Live at the P.O. | Characters

Again, Welty appropriately uses character types, prototypical figures from the rural South. But again, they are anything but dull. In fact, Welty highlights Sister's injured plainness by making at least three members of the "opposition" highly colorful. In alliance with the spoiled and mouthy Stella-Rondo are Mama; Papa-Daddy, who has never shaved his beard; and Uncle Rondo, who appears "in one of Stella-Rondo's flesh-colored kimonos, all cut on the bias" after celebrating the holiday by drinking "that prescription." Stella-Rondo's mystery child, Shirley T. (who she claims is adopted,...