A comprehensive critical study of the works of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was conducted, utilizing the Rawlings Collection at the University of Florida for primary sources and Rawlings' own romantic-realistic approach to her work as a critical framework. On the romantic side Rawlings shows a consistent use of the Florida Cracker folk culture and of woodsman-farmer protagonists in the tradition of Natty Bumppo. She responds to nature poetically and holds the basic romantic belief that nature can heal a troubled spirit. Also her consistent theme is the belief that an affinity with nature is essential to human happiness. Rawlings also has a romantic love of the past that is most evident in The Yearling with her use of old hunting tales. On the realistic side Rawlings is known for her use of numerous accurate details drawn from her own experiences and associations with Florida Crackers. She believed that her years as a journalist had prepared her to tell her stories with a diligent attention to facts. Rawlings also shows a realistic viewpoint toward nature. Although she saw it poetically and responded emotionally to its beauty, she also recognized the malevolent side of nature and its ability to harm man. She knew that life was a struggle for the Florida Crackers and thus shows a stoic attitude in those characters, who persevere in the face of hardships. / Although the dualism of romantic realism is present in all of Rawlings' works, two of her novels (Golden Apples and The Sojourner) show more romance than realism. In both books, characters and settings are drawn mainly from Rawlings' imagination rather than from real people and places. Her last novel labors under the additional constraints of having the only setting outside of Florida and an inaccurate time frame. Despite her lack of success with these novels, Rawlings achieved a balance between romanticism and realism in South Moon Under, The Yearling, and Cross Creek. These novels show both a romantic response to her subject matter and a realistic portrayal of it. These books also show Rawlings at her best. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, Section: A, page: 1754. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75340 |
| Contributors | POUCHER, JUDITH G., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 249 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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