From: mtaranto@shearson.com (Mark Taranto)
Subject: Re: Pat Conroy and stereotypes
Organization: Lehman Brothers
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 15:59:29 GMT

cs204b00@ducvax.auburn.edu (Kelly Morrison) writes:

>   I love Pat Conroy's books, BUT...
>   ... how many times can he retell the same story?

>   Someone should start a list of Conroy stereotypes! :)  Here are a few:
>   1. The harsh, "down-to-earth" father. (Bull Meechum, Henry Wingo)

Add his real father to the list.


>   2. The tortured daughter. (Mary Anne Meechum, Savannah Wingo)

Add his real sisters to the list.

>   3. The beautiful mother. (Mrs. Meechum, Lila Wingo)

Add his real mother to the list.

>   4. The jock son who doesn't meet his father's expectations (Ben Meechum,
>         Tom Wingo, and (to a lesser degree) the main character in the Lords
>         of Discipline).

Add Pat Conroy to the list.


>   5. The beloved English teacher. (Ogden Loring, Tom Wingo, the piggish
>         professor in The Lords of Discipline).

Add Pat Conroy AND his teachers to the list.

>   6. The beloved, gruff mentor. (The Bear and his real-life inspiration,
>         The Boo.)

Add the Boo to the list -- oops -- already there.

>   Recurrent themes:

>   1. Racial integration. (The Lords of Discipline, The Great Santini, The
>      Prince of Tides, AND "Invictus" (Conroy's TV movie))
>   2. Northern culture vs. Southern culture. (Again, all three books and
>         the TV movie.)
>   3. The dysfunctional family. (The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides).
>         Ever get the feeling Conroy had a really rough childhood?
>   4. The "big game". (Usually basketball (Santini & Tides) or football (Lords
>         and Invictus)
>   Anyone have an idea when Conroy's next book will appear?


Conroy grew up in the Carolinas -- the son of an attractive southern woman
and a northern Marine Colonel.  He attended The Citadel.  After graduation,
he taught on a small coastal island in South Carolina.

His first book, THE WATER IS WIDE is based on his year teaching, and is
autobiographical.  It depicts him as an angry idealist, fighting to be
a good teacher to young black students living in an area where people
did not value education for these children.

His second book, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE is fiction, but obviously
draws on his military school experience at The Citadel.  The Citadel
was not yet integrated when Conroy attended.

Pat Conroy has stated publicly that he wrote THE GREAT SANTINI in order to
come to terms with his feelings towards his father, and wrote THE PRINCE
OF TIDES so that he can deal with his feelings towards his mother.  He
had a horrific childhood -- much of which he suppressed (because his mother
drilled it into him that it did not happen).

He is now working on a new book where he will be dealing with the death
of his mother and his relationships with his siblings.  In some ways, THE
PRINCE OF TIDES was a departure for him.  While some of the usual themes
were there, it was really a book about forgiveness, not about anger.  In
addition, he had adult characters with adult problems -- where his other
books dealt with the period where he was coming of age.  For example, it
shows the effects of an awful childhood on Tom Wingo's relationship with
his own children.

Conroy views writing as a catharsis.  As he becomes more comfortable with
his life, and as he grows, his books will follow.  I see this pattern
emerging already.


Mark



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