The Golden Apples, by Eudora Welty, is a collection of 11 interlinked stories set in Morgana, Mississippi from 1911 to the present. These stories chronicle the lives of both the prominent citizens and the colorful characters of Morgana, as seen through the eyes of narrator and local schoolteacher, Dabney Fairchild.
The first story, “Livvie,” focuses on a 17-year-old girl named Livvie whose mother has recently passed away. She runs away from home and lands in the care of two mysterious women. In the second story, “Lily Daw and The Three Ladies,” Dabney remembers the eccentric three ladies of Morgana: Lady Copeland, Lady Winifred, and Lady Clementine. The third story, “The Whole World Knows,” revolves around an interracial couple and the community’s struggles to accept their situation.
The fourth story, “The Whistle,” follows the only black girl in town as she refuses to attend school due to certain treatments she has endured while there. The fifth, “Moon Lake,” introduces us to a young orphan girl whose father drowns in a canoe accident. In “No Place for You, My Love,” a young man discovers his true passion in the shadow of a lynching. Dabney returns to the story in “Kin,” as she remembers her own mother who was murdered in the same town.
The seventh story, “A Memory,” focuses on the local “gypsy” woman who comes to town once in a while, telling fortunes that are sometimes harder truths than people want to believe. In “Where Is The Voice Coming From?” an old man recalls his times spent with the one he loves in the old cemetery. “The Burning” tells of a family whose son tries to join the Delta Fish Company, only to find himself entrapped in a dangerous situation.
The final story, “The Golden Apples,” focuses on a festival in Morgana, Mississippi held in honor of the late Lady Clementine. The townspeople pay tribute to her by planting golden apple trees in her memory. This story ties in each of the stories before it, showing how the lives of the people in Morgana, Mississippi were interwoven for better or for worse. “The Golden Apples” show us how the memory of a lost loved one could bring together a community, no matter how small.
The Golden Apples is a unique and powerful collection of stories that depict the struggles and triumphs of living in a small Southern town. Through the use of language, Welty creates an evocative and nostalgic atmosphere that readers can not help but be drawn into. Her narrative style is masterful, creating vivid characters who are both emotional and complex. The stories span generations, creating the backdrop for this unique tale of love and loss, present and past. The Golden Apples is a captivating and timeless collection of stories that offers a glimpse into the culture and traditions of the Deep South.
