Author Lorrie Moore

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Lorrie Moore expertly uses her humor to provide readers with an in-depth look at character identity. The author points out that Moore is mostly known for her short stories, which rely on a clever play of words, irony and sardonic black humor that normally hides the characters' underlying sorrow or traumatic experiences. The paper concludes that one of the most remarkable things about Moore's style is the total lack of melodrama. This paper includes many quotations.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Moore's Humor
Making Readers Laugh at Human Nature
Clever Play of Words, Irony and Black Humor
Humor Provides Character Analysis
Biographical Life
Birth and Family
Writing background
Literary Honors
Graduate School
Employment
Subject Matter
"Self-Help": " Lives Can Be Improved by Golf "
Shows Contemporary Life among Yuppies
"How to be the Other Woman"
"How to be a Writer"
Moore's Identity Search under Laughs
Quote by John Blade about Moore's Lighthearted Approach
"Charades"
Moore's Identity Analysis of Several Characters
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"However, under the laughs and guffaws in "How to Be a Writer" is the woman who is attempting to be taken seriously as an author and make her way in an occupation that is treacherous at best and deadly at worst. As all writers do, Francie begins to look at her own abilities. Here Moore once again shows the underlying search for identity. Francie begins to doubt her own worth as a writer: "Begin to wonder what you do write about. Or if you have anything to say. Or if there is even such a thing as a thing to say. Limit these thoughts to no more than ten...""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Blades, John. "Lorrie Moore: Flipping Death the Bird." Publishers Weekly 245.34 (1998): 31-32.
• Grossinger, Harvey. "Lorrie Moore scores with a new turn." Birds of America. September 1998. American University. 6 March 2006. http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/ae/books/9899/09/27/moore.html
• Kakutani, Michiko. "Birds of America and What Have They Done with Their Lives?" New York Times Book Review 11 September 1998: 6
• McInerney, Jay. New York Times Book Review, 24 March 1985: 7.
• McNally, Joel. "Masterfully bittersweet: Lorrie Moore finds a way to move readers and makes them laugh at the same time." The Writer. 118.12 (2005): 20

More papers on Author Lorrie Moore:

• Book Review # 110867 : "Lorrie Moore's "How"
• Analytical Essay # 54173 : "Birds of America"
• Analytical Essay # 68071 : "The Elements of Writing"

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