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| Plot Summary of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe |
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"Cousin Lymon Willis, a hunchback dwarf, has come to town to visit Miss Amelia. He
holds up a blurry photograph that is proof positive Fanny and Martha Jesup are
half sisters; therefore, Miss Amelia and Lymon are cousins. Miss Amelia, a rich
store owner, keeps to herself after a disastrous 10 day marriage. But she is
somehow infatuated with the hunchback dwarf who can turn on the tears anytime
he wants to. Cousin Lymon is invited to live with her.
The night the dwarf comes to town, an inspiration to open a cafe in Miss Amelia's
store transpires. Soon all the townspeople have a place to hang, Stumpy MacPhail,
Henry Macy, and others, eat fried chicken and later drink Miss Amelia's fine, smooth
whiskey. Cousin Lymon receives preferential treatment all day, every day - Miss
Amelia just falls to pieces when he wiggles his large and pale ears. Then Marvin
Macy, Miss Amelia's husband for 10 days, returns from the state penitentiary.
Cousin Lymon begins to follow Marvin around.
"
Joan Clare, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Ballad of the Sad Cafe |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- depressed
Time/era of story
- 1900-1920's
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- love triangle/polygon
Life of a profession:
- chef or baker
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Coping with loss of loved one(s)
Yes
Job/Profession/Status story
Yes
Brain/Body disability?
- physical disability
Love problems?
- Obession with uninterested person
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- accused criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 6 (an above average amount)
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Carson McCullers Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Michelle Kidwell
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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