Joseph Mitchell's New York

Dames

While men predominate in Joseph Mitchell's stories there are a few sketches of women. We'll start with stories of two women from Mitchell's newspaper days, Tanya Cubitt and Mazie Gordon-Phillips. Contrast these stories with the two stories below from Mitchell's New Yorker career.

2 Tanya

2 Miss Mazie

Study Questions

How do you feel about Mitchell's story on Tanya? Is Mitchell being exploitative in writing about a nudist?
What message is Mitchell trying to get across with the Tanya story?
How does the short newspaper story on Mazie above compare with the long form New Yorker story below?

Mazie

Please read the 17 page story, Mazie Gordon, Queen of the Bowery from the December 14, 1940 edition of the magazine. It starts on page 23 of your book, or if you would like to print the pages so you can mark them up, to the right is a pdf:

2 Mazie pdf.pdf

Study Questions

How do you feel after reading the Mazie story? How does Mitchell's writing convey that feeling?
What are some examples of your favorite prose or dialog?
Pay attention to the tense that Mitchell writes in: past, present or future. Anything seem unusual?
What message is Mitchell trying to convey with the Mazie story?
What is Mitchell's message with the ending of the story?

Lady Olga

Please read the 17 page story, Lady Olga, from the July 26, 1940 edition of the magazine. It starts on page 89 of your book, or if you would like to print the pages so you can mark them up, to the right is a pdf:

2 Lady Olga pdf.pdf

Study Questions

How does your view on Lady Olga change as the story progresses?
Is Mitchell being exploitative in writing about a bearded lady?
What prose or dialog did you particularly like?
What prose or dialog did you find particularly funny?
What message is Mitchell trying to convey with the Lady Olga story?
How do you feel about the ending?
How do Mitchell's choice of people to profile reflect his own personality?

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