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?