Authors of American Southern Literature Quiz

Answer: William Faulkner

This novel tells the story of a poor family's arduous quest to honor the matriarch's wish to be buried in her hometown. Faulkner won many awards during his career, including the Nobel Prize in Literature, 2 Pulitzer prizes and 2 National Book Awards, however, he hated the fame that went along with them. Faulkner's family name is actually spelled Falkner, but his name was misspelled on the title page of his first book and when asked if he wanted it corrected he supposedly replied "either way suits me".

Answer: Robert Penn Warren

This novel is about the political rise and governership of Willie Stark, a 1930s' Southern governor. It won Warren the Pulitzer Prize in 1947 and was twice adapted into a movie. One of the adaptations won the 1949 Oscar for best picture. Willie Stark is likely based on Huey P Long, the Governor of Louisiana from 1928-1932. Warren taught at Louisiana State University from 1933-1942 so he would have been well aware of Governor Long's exploits.

Incidentally, Huey Long's nickname was Kingfish.

Answer: John Grisham

This was Grisham's first novel. It tells the story of a racially charged trial of a black father on trial for the murder of the white men who raped his child. It was adapted into a movie starring Samuel L Jackson and Matthew McConhaugey. Before his writing career exploded, Grisham practiced law and served two terms in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

In interviews he has mentioned that he got the idea for this book when he heard the testimony of a 12 year old girl who had been beaten and raped, and he wondered what would have happened if her father had murdered those responsible.

Answer: Fannie Flagg

This novel tells the story of an elderly woman recalling her life in Whistle Stop, Alabama to her middle aged housewife friend. She comments on many topics including aging, racism, homosexuality and, of course, food. The author even includes some recipes. Flagg had her first success as a writer in the fifth grade when she wrote, directed and starred in a play called "The Whoopee Girls".

Answer: Eudora Welty

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells of a daughter coming home to care for her dying father and having to deal with her unpopular stepmother and the memories of her mother. Welty published her first work at the age of eleven when she had a poem published in a children's magazine.

In addition to her writing she also had a lifelong interest in photography. She published two books containing her collection of photographs, both of which were well received.

Answer: John Kennedy Toole

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells of a young New Orleans man searching for a job and his encounters with various French Quarter characters. It is also noted for its accurate use of the various New Orleans dialects. Toole never enjoyed literary success in his lifetime.

After being turned down by many publishers, he became more depressed and paranoid, finally taking his life in 1969 at age 31. His mother, along with help from his friends, convinced Louisiana State University Press to publish his novel.

His Pulitzer Prize was then awarded posthumously.

Answer: Kate Chopin

First published in 1899, this novel focuses on a wife and mother who is not satisfied with the expectations of what being a woman entails at the turn of the century. It is considered a very early work of feminist literature. Chopin began writing at the suggestion of a family friend to help her through the depression that she was feeling due to the death of her husband followed soon by her mother.

Answer: James Agee

This is a Pulitzer Prize winning autobiographical novel that tells the story of a family in 1915 Tennessee dealing with the accidental death of the teenage narrator's father. Agee was also a journalist, poet, screenwriter and movie critic. Agee he died of a heart attack while on his way to a doctor's appointment in 1955.

This novel was published posthumously so, of course, his Pulitzer Prize was awarded posthumously in 1958.

Answer: Margaret Mitchell

First published in 1936, it tells the story of Scarlet O'Hara before, during and after the Civil War. It follows her from her luxurious antebellum life as the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner to her post war trials as she tries to recover from the destruction of Sherman's march to the sea.

It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937 and was adapted into an award winning movie. Several family members fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and during visits to the Mitchell house they would tell their war tales as Mitchell would eagerly listen.

She was devastated when she finally learned at age 10 that the South had indeed lost the war.

Answer: James Dickey

This 1970 novel tells of four middle aged friends and their deadly misadventures on a canoe trip down a north Georgia river. It was adapted into a movie in 1972. Who can forget the dueling banjos scene? Dickey left college to join the Army Air Corps during WWII where he served as in a night fighter squadron in the Pacific, eventually flying more than 100 missions.

After the war he attended Vanderbilt University and after graduation he was recalled to the US Air Force to serve during the Korean War.