Extra Credit "Writing Symposium"

I was able to meet Ron Rash in person on April 22 at 12-1 pm at Watuaga Campus. He is a wonderful speaker and I enjoyed listening to him. He started the seminar by talking about his family. His family were descendants of the Navenjo people and they had fought in the civil war. He proceeded to read about a woman named Lilly and how Lilly represented his own family. Lilly was faced with the confederate soldiers and at that time they took whatever they wanted from the union families. Lilly had offered the confederate to take her chickens to eat and her horse. She then started to bargain with the confederate about leaving the horse and having his way with her. She convinces him to going to the root cellar. This is where the change of events take place. Instead of him having his way with her she ends up killing him. She had a sowing needle in her hand and ends up stabbing him to death. She then locks him inside the cellar and goes in to take care of her family. This story was a replica of Ron Rashes family based on how they were treated during civil war.

Next Ron Rash started elborating on the character Serena in the book called "Serena". Serena was a tough lady a lot like Lady McBeth. He had intentionally left out why Serena was an evil person. Ron Rash said once you give a character an excuse for being evil then their behavior is not as tramatic. If they don't have an excuse for their behaviors then it makes them even more psychotic. At the beginning we have Serena who is having really bad dreams. Then the dreams stop when she starts training the eagle. The bad dreams stop because she is at the stage of purifiying herself. Serena really did love her husband because he is the only man who was able to decieve her. He was able to decieve her into thinking he was on her side instead he ends up giving Rachel money to escape the wrath of Serena. Serena wanted Rachel's baby killed once she found out she wouldn't be able to have a family of her own. At the end of the story Serena ends up marrying a Nazi man named Joseph Mengele.

Lastly Ron Rash talks about Rachel and her role in the novel. At first he talks about how Rachel was not mentioned much at all in his rough draft. He stated he knew something was missing in his novel and couldn't figure it out. One day when he was driving down the road and he finally realized what was missing from his novel. He knew he had to give Rachel a better role in the story. Thoughts started over flowing and the next thing he knew was he was getting a speeding ticket. Rachel really loved Mr.Pamperton and ends up pregnant with his child. She ends up raising the child on her own without the support of Mr. Pamperton. At the end of the story she ends up with Joel a very good down to earth guy.

Why did he choose WAYNSVILLE?
He choose this place because of the family ties he had there. He also choose this place for historic purposes. This place was known for it's logging industry. He also chooses this place because of the location. It is the last place in the Smoky mountains.