Flannery O’Connor’s sharp southern wit and dark humor continue to mesmerize lovers of literature across the U.S. On April 19, the storyteller will be celebrated by the creative minds at the University of Houston’s Honors College.
“O’Carnival” is a festival spotlighting O’Connor, her memorable stories and other authors of Southern Gothic literature. The event runs 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the Honors College Commons. It will include readings, southern cuisine, live music and a play adapted from O’Connor’s short story “The Lame Shall Enter First.” This event is free and open to the public.
"Flannery O'Connor was fascinated by carnivals where there were shocking, titillating and provocative shows,” said William Monroe, Honors College dean and the professor leading this year’s Artists and Their Regions course. “’O'Carnival’ is a chance for our class to reveal its creative projects to the campus community and put on a similar show.”
The works in “O’Carnival” are created by students who took a trip to O’Connor’s longtime home of Milledgeville, Ga. during spring break. The trip was part of the Honors College’s Artists and Their Regions course, which allows students to explore areas where American writers and poets honed their crafts.
Artists and Their Regions is part of the Honors College’s Center for Creative Work. In addition to an annual spring break creative retreat, students participate in seminar-styles classes and generate individual and group projects such as this year’s “O’Carnival.”
“‘O'Carnival’ and the class as a whole have allowed me to engage with O'Connor's work in ways conventional essays or multiple-choice tests wouldn't afford,” said Honors College student Chris Powell. “The opportunity to respond creatively to her work and environment offered us new ways of addressing the uncanny, the unpleasant, and the redeeming - all topics O'Connor explores in her stories.”
The Honors College at UH is a hub of excellence that serves the needs of gifted undergraduates in more than 100 fields of study and reflects the rich diversity of the University of Houston in its courses, faculty and students. For over 50 years, the Honors College has offered students the best of both worlds: the advantages of a small college together with the comprehensive resources and rich diversity of a large university. For more information about the Honors College, visit http://TheHonorsCollege.com.
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