Joyce Carol Oates 1938- Present

Life Born June 16, 1938 Raised as a Catholic, but conformed to Atheism Lockport, New York Oldest of three Carolina and Frederick Raised as a Catholic, but conformed to Atheism Oates attended school in a one-room schoolhouse Became interested in reading at an early age Best gift was a book by Lewis Carroll From her grandmother Profound influence

Cont. Age 14 In her teens transferred to suburban school Typewriter Blanche In her teens transferred to suburban school School newspaper Graduated in 1956 First to complete high school Attended Syracuse University English degree 1960

Cont. University of Wisconsin- Madison Married Raymond Smith 1961 Rice Univeristy Ph.D. First book published in 1963 1968 to 1978 University of Windsor Canada Two to three books per year

Cont. 1978 Began writing Bellefleur The Ontario Review Princeton, New Jersey Creative Writing Began writing Bellefleur The Ontario Review Literary magazine Still lives in New Jersey Teaches

Works 1963 1969 1980 2000 By the North Gate Them Bellefleur Upstate New York family 2000 Blonde Life of Marilyn Monroe

Gothic Writing Authors Behavior exhibited by extreme situations Poe, Hawthorne, Oates Behavior exhibited by extreme situations Characters acting in disturbing ways because of internal conflict Ex. Hawthorne uses characters that hold secret knowledge that leads them to act in unsettling ways Shows the odd ways that humans think and act

Cont. Joyce Carol Oates Uses characters whose lives are upset by other forces that are beyond their control Depicts common people who seem powerless to maintain their identities Ex. Villagers in the Minister’s Black Veil