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===== My dear, what's a Southern novel? =====

//BY MICHAEL BIESECKER, Staff Writer//\\
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CHAPEL HILL - About 100 book lovers from across the state gathered in Chapel Hill on Saturday for a series of lectures on four classic Southern novels.

But precisely what qualifies a novel as "Southern," distinct from other works of American literature, was the subject of some debate.

Joseph M. Flora, a professor of English and Southern culture at UNC-Chapel Hill, suggested the book must be written by a Southerner and set in the South.

"These books are ones Southerners love and that resonate with them," said Flora, who lectured on "To Kill a Mockingbird" in a long Southern drawl. "They reflect Southern mores, values and a large load of guilt."

That guilt isn't necessarily for slavery, Flora said. It goes back further, to original sin, as recounted in the Bible.

Victor Strandberg, a native New Englander who teaches at Duke University, agreed that religion almost always plays a role in Southern novels. Other themes include sex, race, poverty and language.

"It's a curious combination of being literate, since we're in the Bible belt," Strandberg said, "and regional vernacular."

Strandberg spoke on Robert Penn Warren's "All the King's Men," the tale of a good man corrupted by Louisiana politics. The story borrows heavily from the biblical account of the fall of man, he said.

Though the subject of race is omnipresent in most Southern classics, none of the works discussed Friday was written by blacks. There were few, if any, blacks in attendance at the event at the UNC Center for School Leadership Development.

Several participants seemed unsure whether "The Invisible Man," Ralph Ellison's tale of an unnamed black man who considers himself invisible due to his race, qualifies as a "Southern" novel. Ellison, who was black, was a native of Oklahoma, and a portion of his novel is set in the South.

Jill McCorkle, a novelist and professor at N.C. State University, acknowledged that many consider the portrayal of black characters in the novel she lectured about, "Gone With the Wind," offensive.

"You have to read it in the context of time and place; otherwise you'll wince every couple pages," she said.

Three of those who came to the daylong event were members of a Richmond County book club. During a break, they sat outside in the muggy summer heat that is so often a character unto itself in the South's literature.

Melissa Garner, an eighth-grade teacher from Hamlet, said she came to learn more about how to present "To Kill a Mockingbird" to her students, especially minority children she said were likely to be turned off by the racial epithets in Harper Lee's dialogue.

Her friend, Sharon Davis, came simply for pleasure,

"I'm retired," said the former school counselor. "So now I have time to read. I'm loving it."

michael.biesecker@newsobserver. com or 919-829-4698

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FOUR SOUTHERN NOVELS DISCUSSED

'To Kill a Mockingbird,' by Harper Lee

Published: 1960

A story of racial injustice and the loss of innocence, told through the eyes of Scout Finch, the young daughter of a principled small-town lawyer. Set in rural Alabama in the 1930s.

Awards: Pulitzer Prize in 1961.

Facts: Lee was a childhood friend of Truman Capote, and "To Kill a Mockingbird" was the only book Lee ever wrote. It was made into a movie in 1962 starring Gregory Peck, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Atticus Finch.

'Gone with the Wind,' by Margaret Mitchell

Published: 1936

The book centers around Scarlett O'Hara, the headstrong daughter of a Southern plantation owner. Set in and around Atlanta during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Awards: Pulitzer Prize in 1937

Facts: The book was adapted for film in 1939 and starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. It won 10 Academy Awards. The novel has sold more than 30 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books of all time.

'All the King's Men,' by Robert Penn Warren

Published: 1946

A cynical novel about American politics. Set in 1930s Louisiana, "All the King's Men" traces the rise of Willie Stark, an idealistic rural lawyer who ultimately becomes governor and is corrupted by power.

Awards: Pulitzer Prize in 1947

Facts: The book is thought to be based on Louisiana's Gov. Huey Long. "All the King's Men" was made into a movie in 1949 and again in 2006. The 1949 film starring Broderick Crawford won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

'The Optimist's Daughter,' by Eudora Welty

Published: 1972

A short novel about love, loss and grief. In the book, a woman returns to the South and must deal with the death of her father. Set in New Orleans and in Mississippi.

Awards: Pulitzer Prize in 1973

Facts: The book is said to be partially autobiographical and is considered Welty's greatest work.