Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
On Finally Finding the Right Place To Be: Breece Pancake, Milton, and Me
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
The strong sense of place that often characterizes Appalachian writing can play a larger role in a narrative than a major character; place can be where things are happening, or it can be what is happening. Despite the outside world's boundless opportunities that cast even deeper shadows over their depressed lives, the characters of The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake are so rooted to West Virginia that most of them cannot imagine themselves as separate from their hometowns. Because I grew up in the same small town--indeed the same church--as author Breece Pancake, this presentation uses my intimate knowledge of our hometown's personality, features, and residents to give an insider's perspective on Pancake and his short stories. Nearly every spot he mentions can easily be traced to actual places and buildings, and most of his characters resemble real friends and townspeople. Interviews of some of Pancake's closest friends, some of whom have not previously been interviewed, have provided a much more intimate portrait of the author and his work than ever before, including his fascination with fossils and what his friends think about his suicide at age 26. Even 36 years after his death, Breece Pancake's stories are still haunting readers.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Jennifer Sullivan Spoor received her MA in English/Literary Studies from Marshall University in 2015. Her book, Remembering Breece Pancake, is intended for publication in 2019 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Pancake's death.
On Finally Finding the Right Place To Be: Breece Pancake, Milton, and Me
The strong sense of place that often characterizes Appalachian writing can play a larger role in a narrative than a major character; place can be where things are happening, or it can be what is happening. Despite the outside world's boundless opportunities that cast even deeper shadows over their depressed lives, the characters of The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake are so rooted to West Virginia that most of them cannot imagine themselves as separate from their hometowns. Because I grew up in the same small town--indeed the same church--as author Breece Pancake, this presentation uses my intimate knowledge of our hometown's personality, features, and residents to give an insider's perspective on Pancake and his short stories. Nearly every spot he mentions can easily be traced to actual places and buildings, and most of his characters resemble real friends and townspeople. Interviews of some of Pancake's closest friends, some of whom have not previously been interviewed, have provided a much more intimate portrait of the author and his work than ever before, including his fascination with fossils and what his friends think about his suicide at age 26. Even 36 years after his death, Breece Pancake's stories are still haunting readers.
