`` Cold Sassy Tree `` By Olive Ann Burns - 1647 Words

The town of Cold Sassy is simply a traditional southern town. From family values to back alley gossip, the citizens of Cold Sassy play the role of southern parody in society. On the outside it appears to be genuine, caring and communal environment, but just like any community, its roots grow far deeper than its outward appearance. This is not an accident either, as author Olive Ann Burns writes this novel, Cold Sassy Tree, to emphasize intentionally the crooked nature of small, southern towns, and by extension, southern heritage as a whole. Through her characters, Burns paints a playful picture of misconception, polarization, conformity, and perseverance, and their weaving in and out of the culture of her fictional town. It is†¦show more content†¦Mill Town is, as its name boldly declares, the blue-collar hub of this southern sector. The citizens of Mill Town work the mill, which provides much of Cold Sassy’s resources. Despite this relationship, the people of Cold Sassy see the people of Mill Town as lesser than themselves. When writing about his encounters with Lightfoot McLendon, Will states, â€Å"The girl didn’t seem to have heard yet that nobody in Mill Town ever amounted to anything.† (Burns 71) As much insight as this quote provides into the thought processes of not only Will, but into the whole of Cold Sassy, Will further illustrates the division when he discusses what people would think if they were to find out about his forbidden feelings for Lightfoot. â€Å"I went from hoping I’d see Lightfoot to hoping I wouldn’t. It was one thing to like her at school and nobody know it. Here in Mill Town at my crosstie stage, folks would suspicion her if they saw me acting friendly.† (Burns 70) It is clear from these statements that the people of Cold Sassy are heavily prejudiced against those that consider to be of a lower class. This causes extreme division among the people, even to the extent th at they cannot associate with one another. While these examples of division are fairly obvious in the text of Cold Sassy Tree, the final source of division among the people is far more subliminal. There exists in the roots of Cold Sassy reliance upon tradition and cultural norms. They live by an unspokenShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Cold Sassy Tree By Olive Ann Burns1236 Words   |  5 PagesKiyara Lanier U.S. History 1 Allison Doolittle November 7,2016 Novel Analysis of Cold Sassy Tree Cold Sassy Tree is a fictional story written by Olive Ann Burns which details the life of a family in Cold Sassy, Georgia. The story is being told from the perspective of a teenager named Will Tweedy. The plot is focused around the love and marriage between Rucker Blakeslee and Love Simpson. There is a huge uproar and disdain from the family as well as the townspeople over the relationshipRead MoreSociological Themes In Cold Sassy Tree By Olive Ann Burns1594 Words   |  7 PagesTry Something â€Å"When you don’t know which way to turn, son, try something. Don’t jest do nothin’† (Burns, 2007, p. 315). In Cold Sassy Tree, Grandpa Blakeslee takes his own advice when he does â€Å"something† that will truly affect the lives of everyone around him. Written by Olive Ann Burns, Cold Sassy Tree delves into the life and action of a small town in Cold Sassy, Georgia. Barely three weeks as a widower, Grandpa Blakeslee elopes with Love Simpson, a Yankee women less than half his age. Their marriageRead More Religion and Coming of Age in Olive Ann Burns’ Novel, Cold Sassy Tree502 Words   |  3 PagesComing of Age in Olive Ann Burns’ Novel, Cold Sassy Tree In the small southern town of Cold Sassy, Georgia, at the turn of the twentieth century, teenage boys had to grow up fast. They were not in any way sheltered from the daily activities of the town. This was especially true for fourteen year old Will Tweedy. Olive Ann Burns’ first, and only completed novel, Cold Sassy Tree, tells of young Will’s coming-of-age. His experiences with religion, progress, and death in Cold Sassy escorted him alongRead More The Journey Through The Differences In Relationships in Cold Sassy Tree1658 Words   |  7 PagesThe Journey Through The Differences In Relationships in Cold Sassy Tree Dating back to the early 1900’s and all the way through to the present, romantic relationships have been viewed differently. From strict unwritten dating regulations to not having regulations at all, recent generations have become more liberated in making their own decisions. The progressing times have made us become a more accepting society and have caused a decrease in the strong practice of religion and class. EvenRead MoreEssay on Cold Sassy Tree Character Analysis Will Tweedy866 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature April 11, 2013 Character Analysis Struggles in life influence people to develop into who they will truly be. The struggles depicted in Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns caused certain characters to be the way they are. Will Tweedy is the narrator and the main character in the novel. He is a fourteen-year-old boy growing up in Cold Sassy, Georgia. As a young adult with a free spirit, he appears to be very defiant throughout his teenage years. After Will’s grandmother, Mattie Lou, dies