Themes From American Literature

Isolation & Community

Isolating yourself in a community can cause insanity. When people nowadays think of people who are crazy, they probably think of a cat lady, an animal hoarder who lives by themselves, or old people who live with their siblings. Miss Pettigrew and the Epperson Sister are alike in that they live with their siblings at a rather odd age. Miss Pettigrew isolated herself in a community that loved her after her brother Amory Wallace Jr. tried to give Miss Pettigrew’s hand in marriage to Mr. Nance who was already married. Miss Pettigrew was adored by the people of Neely for throwing grand balls and parties. She was very sociable and loved attention. After her brother’s selfish mistake, Miss Pettigrew stopped talking to her brother, as well as every as everyone in the town of Neely. She shut herself in the house for up to ten years at a time, and would come out for a short period of time. She was stuck in the house with only her monkey and her negro help, Aunt Willa. She couldn’t socialize with anyone, and just lost her mind sitting in a huge house by herself. Miss Pettigrew comes out of the house after at least forty years and shows everyone that she has completely gone nuts and then she commits suicide. The Epperson Sisters were also isolated and turned out to be like Miss Pettigrew. Of course, the Epperson Sisters had each and were not technically isolated, but they were isolated from society and didn’t have any outside stimulants that kept them sane. When you are around two other people who are just like and you and don’t talk to anyone else in the town except for the occasional hellos you could lose your mind.


Innocence to Awareness

A major theme in American Literature is the journey from innocence to awareness. A person growing up and losing their innocence is a common aspect and is seen in A Short History of a Small Place. The young narrator, Louis Benfield is so innocent and naïve at first and doesn’t realize why the people in his town are the way that they are, and why they do the things that they do. Louis says, “And that’s why Momma stormed off to the kitchen and to her sink and her window. I didn’t really understand it then, but something had passed on that day and Momma was obliged to mourn for it.” (pg 29) He doesn’t understand things but as he starts to mature throughout the book, he starts to sense that there is a deeper reason for their actions. As he senses that there is something wrong, he starts to talk with his dad. Louis’s dad teaches him things about the town and its history which helps him to fully understand the actions of his town’s people. He grows up to find out that life as a child is blissful and easy, the world as an adult can be full of tough decisions and hardship.