2008 Appalachian
Heritage Writer-in-Residence
WebQuest
Overview: In this WebQuest, you will learn about
Appalachian Literature and the life and work of our 2008 Appalachian Heritage
Writer-in-Residence, Adriana Trigiani. You will also find several
resources for relevant issues found in her novels.� As
you work through this WebQuest, you�ll want to find
the Appalachian/Italian connections that are so prevalent throughout Trigiani�s works.
Step 1: What is
What is Appalachia?
What are the characteristics of Appalachian writing?
Take a look at this map to
get an idea of what areas of the
Now, enjoy
and take note of how Appalachian culture spills over into art and music.� Listen to three examples of Appalachian
music: �Loving
Henry�, by Kyle Wooten; �Sweet
Farm Girl� by Tom Ashley; and a banjo piece called �Foggy Mountain
Breakdown�. You can also browse this same site to listen
to other audio clips. Take a look at this Appalachian quilt collection.
Step 2: Learn about Shepherd�s Writer-in-Residence Program.
What is a Writer-in-Residence? Check out the Shepherd University Writer-in-Residence website to see what the program is about and who our past writers have been. Be sure to take a look at the schedule and activities that have been planned around Trigiani�s visit, and make plans to attend one or more. Print off or bookmark the schedule page so that you don�t miss this opportunity! Also, learn more about the West Virginia Fiction Competition that is linked to the Writer-in-Residence program. You may be interested in entering the competition next year.�
Step 3: Who is Adriana Trigiani ?
Who is Adriana
Trigiani?� Read about her and her
rich background.� You may also want to
peruse her personal
website which includes a biography, family history, photos, recipes, and
much more!
Locate her
birthplace (and the inspiration for
You�ll
also want to explore Big Stone Gap,
Virginia.� Trigiani grew up here, and
several of her works are set in this part of western
Step 4: Set the stage for
reading Trigiani�s works.
The Big Stone Gap Books
Review
this site, a favorite of Trigiani�s regarding mountain-top removal.� Appalachian voices also has
extensive information and several links regarding this important issue.� What does this site tell you about the Big Stone Gap books?����
You may also want to peruse this
site about Bergamo,
Italy, which plays an important role in the novels.� Also, take a look at this slideshow.�� In many of the books, you�ll read about trips and references to this area of
The Queen of the Big
Time
In
addition to studying the Roseto site in �step 3�
above, you may want to survey the following before reading.� Explore this site to learn about women
of the 1920�s.� Read Eleanor
Roosevelt�s essay �Women Must Learn to Play the Game as Men
Do� in order
to get an understanding of women�s status in the 1920s.
Lucia, Lucia and Rococo
As you prepare to read Lucia, Lucia, start with this overview.� Next, review this information about the Garment
District in
You may also find that this article
from Publisher�s Weekly offers you more information about Trigiani�s
Italian American novels.
�Step 5: Looking for additional resources and information to
help you understand Trigiani�s fiction?
Here is the link to
the Trigiani�s AHWIR website; click on other teaching tools, the Interview with
Trigiani, and the Literary Essay
on her writing and scholarship. What do you learn about Trigiani�s themes, narrative style, and writing process by
looking at these resources?