Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1984

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

Frank O'Connor's stories of family strife effectively incorporate comic relief to underscore the essential tragedy and frustration in his protagonists' lives. Through a myriad of Irish idiosyncracies and traditions, O'Connor examines the conflicts that emerge when attempts are made to reconcile impulsive instincts with the bittersweet bonds of family heritage. The first chapter, "The Marriage Trap," explores the dilemma facing couples who seek to escape stagnation; the second chapter, "Role Confusian," deals with the tragicomic aspects of assuming different identities; the final chapter, "The Substitute Family," depicts lonely characters' desperate search for warmth in a family of their own invention. For O'Connor's families, seeking fulfillment becomes an anguished search. The author's use of comic relief temporarily offsets, occasionally balances, and ultimately underscores their strife.

Extent

90 p.

Comments

FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1984.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Identifier

FADT14217

Format

pdf

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