Elections and Literature — With Secretary Hillary Clinton campaigning on our campus this past weekend and with the election just two weeks away, I’ve decided to devote this week’s Monday Missive to the connections between elections and American literature. Over the years, many authors have written stories and novels that deal with the drama and tensions associated with elections. For today’s Monday Missive, I will comment on two: Grace for President, a children’s book written by Kelly DiPucchio, and All the King’s Men, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren.
Grace for President came out in 2008, and it deals with a third-grade girl named Grace who asks her teacher why the United States has never had a female president. Grace decides to campaign for the role of president in the school’s mock election, and in the process she and her classmates learn a great deal about America’s electoral college system. What makes this book stand out, however, is not the lessons it teaches about our system of electing presidents. Rather, what makes this book appealing to me is the central character. Grace is strong, funny and inspiring. Grace for President has a special connection to Charlotte, for the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is currently performing a musical based on this story. This musical had its world premier here in Charlotte on October 21, and there are performances scheduled through November 6, 2016.
All the King’s Men originally came out in 1946, and it is partially inspired by the political 
career of Huey P. Long, a former Governor of Louisiana. In Warren’s novel, however, the character is named Willie Stark. In writing this novel, Robert Penn Warren reflects on the messiness of American elections. In many ways, Stark is a cynical and manipulative politician, but he is not a two-dimensional villain. Warren uses the backdrop of an election to reflect on philosophical and even theological concerns. Warren shows how elections can draw out some of the underlying conflicts that shape American culture and discourse. In 1949, the novel was made into a film, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
My guess is that I am the first person to pair up Grace for President and All the King’s Men,but as I see it both books move well beyond the nuts-and-bolts aspects of elections. Although intended for completely different audiences, these books both explore the human side of elections, and both are great books to read during this election season.
Kudos — As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of our department. Here is the latest news:
Paula Eckard recently presented a paper titled “Mountaintop Removal, Methamphetamine, and Appalachian Homeland Insecurities in The Evening Hour” at the Canadian Association for American Studies Conference in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Matthew Rowney recently presented a paper titled “De Quincey’s Stairs” at the International Conference on Romanticism in Colorado Springs.
Lara Vetter‘s edition of H.D.’s By Avon River (2014) received a very positive review inAmerican Literary Scholarship.
Upcoming Events and Deadlines— Here is information about two upcoming events:
October 28 — The English Department meeting will take place on Friday, October 28, from11:00 to 12:30 in the English Department Conference Room. The English Learning Community will have a faculty meet and greet in the faculty/staff lounge following the department meeting.
October 28 — The UNC Charlotte University Writing Program’s Fall Conference will take place on October 28, 2016. Here is the link to register: https://pages.charlotte.edu/uwpconference/registration-2016/
Quirky Quiz Question — When writing All the King’s Men, Robert Penn Warren drew inspiration from The Faerie Queen? Who wrote The Faerie Queen?
Last week’s answer: Robert Zimmerman
Most people have heard of Bob Dylan, but this is not his original name. Does anybody know Dylan’s original name?