Why I Live at the P.O. is a short story written by Eudora Welty and the protagonist is a young woman who is called Sister throughout the story. Sister is the narrator of the story and it is told from the first-person perspective. Her character is presented both directly and indirectly. It is revealed directly through her actions and her lines and indirectly through the attitude her family has towards her. There was a balance between direct and indirect representation. The motivation of the characters is seen through their actions and their attitude towards each other. It is clear why they behave the way they do and their behavior is believable and consistent. The action is centered around Sister who is a foil to Stella-Rondo, her sister. All of the other characters in the story are antagonists because all of them conspire against Sister. Sister’s character is round and dynamic because her attitude towards her family changes throughout the story. There is a significant change in Sister’s behavior which culminates in the end.
Sister is present in the story from the first sentence because she is the narrator. She is credible because all of the other characters seem to be biased toward Stella-Rondo. They are also unfair and believe everything she tells them even if it sounds illogical. On the other hand, Sister is humiliated by her family and she is not good enough for them because she never left Mississippi like Stella. They are narrow-minded and judgmental people who are impressed by actions that are reckless. That is why they admire Stella and take her side and turn against Sister. Sister is an honest person who deserves to be treated fairly and Stella is a manipulative girl who wants the attention to herself. When Sister says: “I WAS GETTING ALONG FINE with Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo until my sister Stella-Rondo just separated from her husband and came back home again” (Welty), she is introducing her sister as the person who is troublesome and who came back to ruin the relationship between Sister and the rest of the family. This is direct characterization because the information about Stella is direct. There is also indirect characterization when Sister says: “There I was with the whole entire house on Stella-Rondo's side and turned against me” (Welty). She says that while making the decision to move out especially after she was traumatized by the firecrackers that Uncle Rondo threw into her room. This incident made her pack her things and the things she bought for the household and move into the P.O. where she works. Sister’s conflict is between herself and Stella because Stella is humiliating her all the time. There is also a conflict between Sister and the entire family which includes, Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo who all support Stella and keep insulting Sister.
Sister’s salient characteristic is her pride: “If I have anything at all I have pride” (Welty). She proves this by moving out and going to live in a small place within the P.O. However, she is also a person who is forgiving and emotional. She says: “And that's the last I've laid eyes on any of my family or my family laid eyes on me for five solid days and nights” (Welty) which means that she is counting days until she meets her family again.
Works Cited
Welty, Eudora. "Why I Live at the P.O." The Art Bin. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2016. <http://art-bin.com/art/or_weltypostoff.html>.
