Eudora Welty's Why I Live At The P. O.

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Sassy and Unreliable Sister In the story “Why I Live at the P.O.,” written by Eudora Welty, the point of view is told by the main character known as “Sister” who talks down on her family members. Not all families get a long especially when there is drama and trust issues. There is many examples throughout the story that show how Sister is an unreliable narrator. Manipulative and jealous is just a few of the traits that describe Sister. In the beginning of the story, Sister explains how she is enjoying time with her family members up until the time her younger sister, Stella-Rondo, comes home for a visit. Sister describes Stella-Rondo as the spoiled one in the family and a wife to a man whose name is Mr. Whitaker. Sister shows her true colors when she mentions to the readers, but not to her own sister, that “Of course I went with Mr. Whitaker first, when he first appeared here … and Stella-Rondo broke us up” (41). Stella-Rondo brings a two-year-old girl, Shirley-T, with her and explains to the family that the girl is adopted. The family questions what happens when Stella-Rondo said that she and Mr. Whitaker got a divorce. The fact that Stella-Rondo never mentions the adoption to the family or the reason for the divorce, causes the family to …show more content…

Mama feels the nerve to slap Sister in her face when Sister makes a comment about a family member who recently passed away, knowing it would upset her Mama. The argument begins between the two when Sister makes a comment about Stella-Rondo’s kid not being adopted. Mama explains how she believes that Shirley-T is adopted and wants to enjoy the holiday weekend, but Sister is ruining it. Sister mentions “Just like Cousin Annie Flo. Went to her grave denying the facts of life.” Sister continues to snap at Mama and tells her “All right, you wait and see” (44). Stella-Rondo is not okay with the fact that Sister was making comments about her

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