Western fathers/writing daughters: The place of gender in the autobiographical nonfiction of Mari Sandoz, Mary Clearman Blew, Linda Hasselstrom, and Julene Bair.

Author

Nicole Zickefoose

Date of Award

10-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

First Advisor

Dr. John Price

Abstract

Introduction: It was a hot humid late-summer day, typical during baling season in Iowa. I waited with my sister Summer in the kitchen; we were supposed to take sandwiches and drinks over to the barn for the baling crew at noon. We had both offered to drive the tractor or help load hay onto the rack and then the haymow, but has been turned own by my father. Instead, he has wanted the names of any high school boys we knew who could help this afternoon. When questioned about these old-line notions by my fairly opinionated and liberal mother, he replied, “I don’t think the girls are strong enough yet.” Soon exasperated wit our questions and complaints, he quietly called the pastor in town and asked his two boys to come out and help this afternoon. My sister and I fed the crew lunch and then retreated to the house to keep our brothers from fighting and to finish my household chores left on a list by my mother, who had left earlier in the day for her college classes.

Comments

A Thesis-Equivalent Project Presented to the Department of English and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 2004 Nicole Zickefoose

Recommended Citation

Zickefoose, Nicole, "Western fathers/writing daughters: The place of gender in the autobiographical nonfiction of Mari Sandoz, Mary Clearman Blew, Linda Hasselstrom, and Julene Bair." (2004). Student Work. 3514.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/3514