The Grady bunch present winners
Award-winning student literature honored at ceremony
Kyle Kernan
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Style
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The poetry gave more introspective and personal reflections while the prose readings were interwoven with entertaining and elaborate descriptions of character and setting. Engaging stories of the night included a first person narrative of a southern boy contemplating the eating of a bowl of peaches and a pregnant woman seeking solitude from a discouraging family.
"Under the Oak," written by Jenny Smick, won the award for best short story for an undergraduate. The story chronicled a pregnant mother, frustrated with her lazy husband and uncontrollable son. It marked one of the most descriptive pieces of literature of the night. English professor David Kress introduced the story with a quote from author Edward Desautels, a judge of the contest. "A disquieting romp," "Under the Oak," weaves dark humor, an agonizing evocation of the corporeal, and a mature perspective on the curses and blessings of pregnancy, motherhood and marriage.
In one of the story's scenes, the tired mother sits in a church pew while her son is crawling under them, unsettling everyone. As the father is reluctant to help, she mutters to him, "you ass!" She walks out of the church and runs along the sidewalk as cars stop and people look to her shocked and perplexed as to why this pregnant woman is running down the street.
"My story was based on an experience of my mother's when she was pregnant with me. As I get older, I'm more and more interested in my mother's experiences as a young woman. When she was my age, she was already married with children!" Smick said as she recalls her inspiration. Smick said that the story was based on a similar experience her mother had. She also says that listening to your family members is a great way to come up with writing ideas.
The graduate winner for best short story was awarded to Emily Kohler, for the story "Mysterious Ways." Kohler graduated from Ohio University with a degree in English and a minor in classical civilizations. At UMaine, she is currently a second-year teaching assistant in the English department. She moved out of a sweet feminine voice, into a mild southern accent in her performance of her story's first person narrative of a southern boy.
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