"Why I Live at the P.O.," a critically acclaimed story by Welty, humorously explores a young woman's challenging relationship with her parents.

Carson McCullers also addresses the Southern experience, though from a distinct perspective. Her novels The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and Reflections in a Golden Eye were penned during the same period as Welty's early works.

"A Rose for Emily," a short story by fellow Southerner William Faulkner, similarly focuses on an older unmarried woman.

Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved delves into the repercussions of slavery in late nineteenth-century rural Ohio.

The Optimist's Daughter, Welty's semi-autobiographical novel about the strained relationship between a parent and child, earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1972.