The Value of Pat Conroy: Author of Great Creativity and Raw Honesty
Donald Pat Conroy, known as just Pat Conroy, creates stories and characters that are powerfully based on life experience. Conroy's work as an author has been a very valuable contribution to literature because it so beautifully illustrates the relationships, both good and bad, of human beings. Because so much of the writing is based on his own life and is not mired in overpowering plot devices or forced themes, Conroy is able to create more meaningful writing. He shows important dynamics between real people through his realistic characters. In particular, his characters' transitions are particularly strong, as they show how one person can grow and change as a result of their experiences. Finally, Conroy successfully defines individual struggles through a narrator/main character that closely resembles himself, without portraying a one-sided story. Toolan explains that Conroy's writing style is simple; there is no anomie or postmodernist narrative or minimalism. Rather, "Conroy doesn't hoard or save anything till later, but, as Annie Dillard advises, spends it all, right away, every time" (127). This style is consistent with, and works well with, his use of realistic, non-plot driven characters who seem true to life (very o
"sweeps you into the turbulent world of these four friends-and draws you deep into the heart of his rebellious hero, Will McLean, an outsider forging his personal code of honor, who falls in love with a whimsical beauty ... and who undergoes a transition more remarkable than he ever imagined possible (Wands, The Lords of Discipline, par. 2). L. Jones' assessment is that My Losing Season is about overcoming the challenges presented by, "people who smashed Conroy to pieces" (33). This included not only his domineering father, but his mentally abusive coach, Mel Thompson; Thompson's "harsh words and loathing attitude beat down Conroy and his teammates" (Jones, L. 33). In both of these cases, the story relayed by Conroy becomes about the power of overcoming adversity. In other words, Conroy became a better person because of the adversity he faced through his relationships with his father and coach. In sharing that very personal account with the reader, Conroy has established an incredible piece of nonfiction that also adds weight to his nonfiction. When the Citadel played East Carolina in 1967, his father showed up to watch him play for the first time in Pat's college career. When the Citadel lost, "he put me up against the wall and said, 'You're s-t. Your team's s-t. Your coach is s-t.' ... I was stunned to find out I scored 25 points that game. When I wrote about that, I had to sit back and think, I had a father who couldn't be proud of his kid who scored 25 points in a college basketball game. I could do nothing to please him (Jones, Malcolm 64). Willingham suggests that Conroy has an obsessive interest in the tension of love/hate relationships (55). Willingham points out that this love/hate relationship exists in many of Conroy's stories. "Whether between Citadel and 'The Boo,' young teacher and school superintendent, or teenage son and 'Great Santini,' this search for balance dominates the themes of Conroy's fiction and nonfiction" (Willingham 55). The tension created by the different desires and roles of Conroy's characters drives his plots forward. For example, the teacher in The Water is Wide has the desire to teach the children of Yamacraw island but struggles and ultimately fails. Without the very personable character of the teacher, the story would not be able to move forward and achieve a poignancy and learning experience for the reader (Wands, The Water is Wide). As L. Jones explains, "Conroy has struggled throughout his life, especially in relationships" (33). It is obvious from his nonfiction and the close correlation between his "fiction" and his actual life that Conroy has really lived much of what he writes about. Writing about what he knows, those troubled relationships have become the themes and characters of his many stories to an effective end. Using even highly personal relationships like the relationship between himself and his father, he truly opens himself up for the reader. Conroy shapes his characters from his real life experience, and benefits from it; those characters, because of their life-like experiences and relationships, appeal to readers on an emotional and personal way. Pat Conroy has made a significant impact on the world of literature through his novels and nonfiction in a way that would not be possible for an author who does not use his own life experiences in his writing. Through this contribution, the reader gets a beautiful and powerful glimpse of both good and bad relationships, human nature, and human experiences that are true to
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Approximate Word count = 2379
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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