Abstract
This thesis examines Eudora Welty's novel The Optimist's Daughter in terms of the growth of its central character, Laurel McKelva Hand, in response to her father's death. Critical discussion almost always views Laurel as a complete, wise, and mature character by the end of the novel. I contend, however, that Laurel does not come to a full understanding of marriage, death, and salvation and therefore returns to Chicago a flawed and immature woman. Laurel's views on marriage are based on an idealized image, formed in her childhood, of her parents' marriage; her experiences with the deaths of her husband, mother, and father leave Laurel in denial of the reality of death. But the source of these problems is Laurel's adherence to her mother's idea of salvation--the idea that courage and force of will can save loved ones from death. Because Laurel does not recognize the effect on her psyche of her mother's misguided view of salvation, she does not come to a full realization of self and so remains a tragic figure at the close of the work.
Marks, Amy Geraldine (1995). Marriage, death, and salvation in Eudora Welty's The Optimist's Daughter. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1995 -THESIS -M375.