Early Life
Where was Joyce Carol Oates born?
She was born in Lockport, New York.
What type of literature is she best known for?
She is best known for literary fiction.
Which famous gothic writer influenced her early reading?
Edgar Allan Poe
What constitutional issue does she often speak about?
Freedom of expression and the importance of protecting the voices of writers.
What major award did she win in 1970?
The National Book Award for her novel Them.
Where did she grow up?
She grew up in a small farm in rural western New York.
How is her writing often described?
Her writing is often described as intense, dark, and psychologically complex.
Which female author influenced her interest in unsettling stories?
Shirley Jackson
What group's challenges does she frequently write about?
Women, especially dealing with inequality and violence.
What major international prize has she been nominated for multiple times?
The Nobel Prize in Literature
What childhood gift encouraged her to start writing?
Her grandmother gave her a typewriter when she was little.
What themes does she often explore?
She frequently writes about feminism, human character and the American society.
What decade's social tensions strongly influenced her work?
The 1960's
What modern issue has she expressed concern about?
The effect of social media and technology on reading and attention spans.
Where did she teach for more than 30 years?
Princeton University
What was special about her education in her family?
She was the first in her family to graduate from high school and then college.
What narrative style does she often use?
She often uses first-person or third person narration to explore the characters inner thoughts.
Which family member greatly influenced her? (Name 2)
Her grandparents, parents and her husbands.
What does she believe fiction should explore?
The depths of the human mind and difficult emotional truths.
What form of writing has she produced extensively besides novels?
Short stories
Where did she attend college?
She attended college at Syracuse University on a scholarship.
What does she think is the biggest distraction while writing?
Which existentialist writer influenced her themes of mortality?
Albert Camus
What is her belief about writing controversial topics?
She believes writers have a responsibility to confront hard or uncomfortable subjects.
What major lifetime honor has she received?
The National Humanities Model