Authors and Their Character Connections

In the last paragraph of the conclusion of Beyond the Gibson Girl, the author states, "Marked by region, race, class status, and political and social affiliations, these writers create New Woman characters who often reflect and interrogate the social positioning of their creators". This passage made me think about the authors of some of our recent works, and encouraged me to reflect upon the connections between them and their characters. Many authors draw upon their own experiences and injustices, infusing them into their protagonists in order to address issues in society. After doing a little research, I was shocked to find Jean Rhys' life stunningly similar to that of Anna of Voyage in the Dark. Rhys faced the discrimination and cultural shock of moving to England from Dominica, worked as a chorus girl, struggled for money, had an affair with a wealthy man, and had a near fatal abortion. Rhys writes of Anna's inner and outer struggles, reflecting upon her own circumstances, bringing to light ever-present difficulties and decisions faced by many women. I then turned to The Street, and found that although Ann Petry was raised in a more wealthy and nurturing environment than the subjects of the book, she certainly experienced racism and the life of "the street" in her own way, and utilized her observations to bring the issues of racism and poverty to light through Lutie, Bub, and the inhabitants of 116th Street. Petry worked at an after school program in Harlem as an adult, observing the hardships of many black Americans on the streets of New York. Her writings in The Street were influenced by these experiences, as she strove to bring attention to the characters and people so "marked by region, race", and "class status". I enjoyed finding the connections between these authors and their works, and uncovering their efforts to use their own experience and observations to "interrogate" the social conditions around them.