Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
The Role of Men in Appalachia According to “Fair and Tender Ladies”
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Where there are fair and tender ladies, the men, fair-minded or otherwise, are not far behind. In her 1963 book entitled The Feminine Mystique author Betty Friedan states that women deal with a problem that has no name. In Lee Smith’s novel, Fair and Tender Ladies, Ivy Rowe wants the love and attention she gains from the men in her life but does not want the babies and the ensuing responsibilities. She embodies the concept of “a problem that has no name.” Ivy’s father, her brother, her uncle, and her lover each embody the particular types of males alive and well in Appalachia during the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. Though she desires her freedom, Ivey cannot be happy without the challenges these men offer. The man’s role in Appalachian life was a determinate factor in the Appalachia that exists today.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Assistant Professor in English at LU for 13 years. Prior to that, I was a public school teacher in a public high school for 20 years.
Married - 42 years - 3 daughters - three grandchildren
Undergrad degree - Virginia Tech
Masters degree - Lynchburg College
Doctorate degree - Liberty University
The Role of Men in Appalachia According to “Fair and Tender Ladies”
Where there are fair and tender ladies, the men, fair-minded or otherwise, are not far behind. In her 1963 book entitled The Feminine Mystique author Betty Friedan states that women deal with a problem that has no name. In Lee Smith’s novel, Fair and Tender Ladies, Ivy Rowe wants the love and attention she gains from the men in her life but does not want the babies and the ensuing responsibilities. She embodies the concept of “a problem that has no name.” Ivy’s father, her brother, her uncle, and her lover each embody the particular types of males alive and well in Appalachia during the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. Though she desires her freedom, Ivey cannot be happy without the challenges these men offer. The man’s role in Appalachian life was a determinate factor in the Appalachia that exists today.
