Peter Taylor Criticism
Peter Taylor (1919–1994) was an influential American novelist, playwright, and short story writer, often linked with the Southern Renaissance. His works are notable for their exploration of middle-class domestic life in the American South, portraying the intricate tensions and dynamics of family and tradition. Taylor's writing is characterized by a restrained and precise style, focusing on the emotional and psychological subtleties of his characters. As Morgan Blum notes, Taylor's deliberate avoidance of sensational themes allows him to delve deeply into character development and the cultural nuances of Southern life. Similarly, William Peden highlights his focus on time and the past, where characters grapple with reconciling these elements. Joyce Carol Oates has remarked on Taylor's exquisite portrayal of familial love, while Herschel Gower comments on his nuanced depiction of Nashville's upper middle-class. Taylor's work often reveals the inherent separateness of individuals within families, a theme he handles with subtlety as noted by Richard Howard. Despite some critique from Anatole Broyard on his reliance on regional traits, Taylor's narratives continue to resonate for their exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the enduring impact of tradition.
Contents
- Taylor, Peter (Vol. 4)
- Taylor, Eleanor Ross
- Taylor, Peter (Vol. 1)
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Taylor, Peter (Vol. 18)
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Peter Taylor: Self-Limitation in Fiction
(summary)
In the following essay, Morgan Blum examines Peter Taylor's deliberate self-restrictions in his fiction, arguing that while Taylor eschews certain themes like violence, these limitations enable him to masterfully explore character depth, family dynamics, and Southern cultural nuances, ultimately enriching his literary contribution.
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Twenty-one Holding Actions by a Modest American Master
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Howard argues that Peter Taylor's collected stories, characterized by their understated and connective narratives, explore themes of alienation, the fleeting nature of regional identity, and the inherent separateness of individuals within families, ultimately revealing that true connection only occurs in acknowledgment of mortality.
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A Hard and Admirable Toughness: The Stories of Peter Taylor
(summary)
In the following essay, William Peden examines Peter Taylor's short stories, highlighting the central themes of time and the past, the internal drama of characters unable to reconcile past and present, and Taylor's restrained narrative style that eschews sensationalism to explore the nuances of human relationships.
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The Unignorable Real
(summary)
In the following essay, Christopher Ricks critiques Peter Taylor's "The Collected Stories" for their moderate, unremarkable style and content, arguing that Taylor's best works succeed when they confront opaque and immoderate realities that challenge his typical liberal decency.
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Urgent Need and Unbearable Fear
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Howard argues that while Peter Taylor's play "Presences" may not be his masterpiece, it embodies Taylor's unique ability to explore the haunting vulnerabilities of human relationships, emphasizing the importance of embracing rather than exorcising life's inherent dangers and uncertainties.
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The Nashville Stories
(summary)
In the following essay, Herschel Gower examines how Peter Taylor's stories capture the social nuances of upper middle-class Southerners in Nashville, exploring themes of urbanization, class preservation, and familial integrity while illustrating these tensions with understated humor and a distinctive, anecdotal narrative style.
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Presences, Absences, and Peter Taylor's Plays
(summary)
In the following essay, Albert J. Griffith explores how Peter Taylor uses the ghost play genre in Presences to highlight his recurring themes of familial and societal encumbrances, contrasting the abstract representations in his plays with the richer, textured storytelling present in his fiction.
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Fiction: 'In the Miro District'
(summary)
In the following essay, Anatole Broyard critiques Peter Taylor's Southern storytelling in "In the Miro District," arguing that Taylor's reliance on regional idiosyncrasies and lack of character development result in unengaging narratives that seem outdated compared to contemporary fiction's complexities.
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A View of Peter Taylor's Stories
(summary)
In the following essay, Jane Barnes Casey analyzes Peter Taylor's work, highlighting his mastery of complex narratives that explore the tension between societal norms and personal chaos, with a focus on evolving themes of masculinity, marriage, and the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity, particularly in his collection "In The Miro District."
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Peter Taylor: Self-Limitation in Fiction
(summary)