Eudora Welty “Why I Live at the P.O.”

Some Thoughts on “Why I Live at the P.O.”

Readers have suggested that this story is a parody of a dysfunctional family. Does this seem true to you? (Do you recognize any of the characters?)

What is Sister’s role in the family? What are indications that Sister may not be reliable?

What is Stella-Rondo’s role in the family? Why do you think Stella-Rondo tells her grandfather that Sister said he should shave off his beard? (The reader never gets any indication that Sister actually said this.)

Do you find sister unkind? Do you like her? With whom do you sympathize, if anyone?

How does the humor affect how you feel about what is actually happening in the story?

How did you feel in the end when Sister said that she hadn’t laid eyes on her family for “five solid days and nights”?

Who (if anyone) in this story is sane?  

I agree that this seems like a comical view of a dysfunctional family. I don’t think any of them are sane; they all seem a bit unbalanced in their thinking and their actions. Sister is the closest to being sane, although she is a bit more level headed and logical than the rest of her family; she ultimately acts just as immature as the rest of them.

Since we see the story mainly from Sister’s point of view, I definitely sympathize with her more. Her sister just seems to be so absurd, lying, and stirring up drama. Stella-Rondo tried to convince Uncle Rondo that Sister said he looked like a fool in his kimono, when the reader had just read that Stella-Rondo had been the one insulting him behind his back. This causes Rondo to get angry with Sister by false accusations. Papa-Daddy seems to just give up on everything and leaves to the hammock to be away from them all. But he’s still crazy with his long beard, claiming he will never cut it an inch, and he gets mad if anyone mentions his beard. That is just weird!

I don’t think sister is unkind; she has to defend herself because no one else is going to stick up for her. It seems like it’s every man for him self in this family. Other typical dysfunctional family straights I see in this family are a lack of communication, passive aggressive behavior, and bad confrontation skills that lead to unproductive arguing and bickering.