49 pages • 1 hour read
Eudora WeltyThe Optimist's Daughter
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1969A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty follows Laurel Hand, who returns to her childhood home in Mount Salus, Mississippi after the death of her father, Judge Clint McKelva, navigating her grief and the strained relationship with her father's young, selfish second wife, Fay. Over three reflective days, Laurel reconciles with her past and makes peace with her losses, finding a renewed sense of self-worth. The book includes themes of death, grief, and emotional abuse.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Eudora Welty's The Optimist's Daughter examines themes of grief and identity with profound insight. Praised for its lyrical prose and rich character development, the novel’s nuanced portrayal of familial relationships captivates readers. However, some critics find its pace slow and the plot thin. Overall, it stands out as a deeply reflective literary work.
Who Should Read The Optimist's Daughter?
A reader who enjoys The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty would appreciate Southern Gothic literature, character-driven narratives, and themes of grief and family dynamics. Fans of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury or Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird would find this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel compelling.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
880LBook Details
Southern Gothic
Life/Time: The Past
Women's Studies (Nonfiction)
History: World
American Literature
Southern Literature
Classic Fiction