John Dos Passos Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (1983) Winner
Doris Betts
ドリス・ベッツ
Doris Betts
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1932-06-04 （Statesville, North Carolina, U.S.）
- Died
- 2012-04-21 （Pittsboro, North Carolina, U.S.） age 79
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Statesville, North Carolina (birth) → University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (residence/work) → Pittsboro, North Carolina (later residence)
Career
- Occupations
- short story writer, novelist, essayist, professor
- Active Years
- 1952-2012
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (English department, faculty), The Fellowship of Southern Writers (officer/chancellor)
- Memberships
- The Fellowship of Southern Writers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statesville High School | — | — | — | 〜1950 | United States |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | — | — | — | 1950年代（在学） | United States |
Statesville High School
Period:
〜1950
Year of Graduation:
1950
Country:
United States
High school graduate (1950)
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Period:
1950年代（在学）
Country:
United States
Attended; won the Mademoiselle College Fiction contest while an undergraduate (1953)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | G.P. Putnam - U.N.C. Booklength Fiction prize | The Gentle Insurrection | — | University of North Carolina | 受賞 |
| 1957 | Sir Walter Raleigh Best Fiction by a Carolinian | Tall Houses in Winter | — | Sir Walter Raleigh Award | 受賞 |
| 1965 | Sir Walter Raleigh Best Fiction by a Carolinian | The Scarlet Thread | — | Sir Walter Raleigh Award | 受賞 |
| 1958 | Guggenheim Fellowship (Creative Writing) | — | フェローシップ | John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1975 | North Carolina Award and Medal (Literature) | — | — | State of North Carolina | 受賞 |
| 1983 | John Dos Passos Award | — | — | Longwood College | 受賞 |
| 1989 | American Academy of Arts and Letters Medal of Merit (short story) | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Letters | 受賞 |
| 1982 | Academy Award (Best Live Action Short) | Violet (short film, based on "The Ugliest Pilgrim") | 短編映画 | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | 受賞（作品の映画化が受賞） |
G.P. Putnam - U.N.C. Booklength Fiction prize
1954
Work:
The Gentle Insurrection
Organization:
University of North Carolina
Result:
受賞
Sir Walter Raleigh Best Fiction by a Carolinian
1957
Work:
Tall Houses in Winter
Organization:
Sir Walter Raleigh Award
Result:
受賞
Sir Walter Raleigh Best Fiction by a Carolinian
1965
Work:
The Scarlet Thread
Organization:
Sir Walter Raleigh Award
Result:
受賞
Guggenheim Fellowship (Creative Writing)
1958
Category:
フェローシップ
Organization:
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result:
受賞
North Carolina Award and Medal (Literature)
1975
Organization:
State of North Carolina
Result:
受賞
John Dos Passos Award
1983
Organization:
Longwood College
Result:
受賞
American Academy of Arts and Letters Medal of Merit (short story)
1989
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Letters
Result:
受賞
Academy Award (Best Live Action Short)
1982
Work:
Violet (short film, based on "The Ugliest Pilgrim")
Category:
短編映画
Organization:
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Result:
受賞（作品の映画化が受賞）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Gentle Insurrection
1954 short story collectionA collection of early short stories notable for its observational detail and character studies.
coming of agehuman relationshipsSouthern life
Tall Houses in Winter
1957 novelA novel from the 1950s focusing on regional life and family relationships.
familyregionalism
Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories
1973 short story collectionA collection of Southern-set short stories including the widely reprinted "The Ugliest Pilgrim."
faithlonelinessSouthern culture
Adaptations
- [film (short)] Violet (1981)
Heading West: A Novel
1981 novelA novel about westward movement and change, focusing on personal interiority and travel.
movementself-discovery
Souls Raised from the Dead
1994 novelA later novel dealing with themes of forgiveness and renewal.
forgivenessrenewal
The Sharp Teeth of Love
1998 novelA later novel exploring the complexities and sharpness of love and relationships.
loverelationships
Bibliography
- The Gentle Insurrection (1954)
- Tall Houses in Winter (1957)
- The Astronomer and Other Stories (1966)
- The Scarlet Thread (1965)
- The River to Pickle Beach (1972)
- Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories (1973)
- Heading West: A Novel (1981)
- Souls Raised from the Dead (1994)
- The Sharp Teeth of Love (1998)
Adaptations
- Short film 'Violet' (based on "The Ugliest Pilgrim")
- Musical 'Violet' (1998, based on the short story)
- Short film adaptation of 'This Is the Only Time I'll Tell It' (1998, producer Nancy Bevins)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- rooted in Southern literary traditiondelicate psychological characterizationconcise, restrained prose
- Recurring Motifs
- faith and religious conflictfamily and lineageSouthern land and community
Health
-
lung cancer2012（死因）Died of lung cancer in 2012. Likely affected late-life activity.
Legacy
Doris Betts was a writer rooted in the Southern literary tradition, noted for her mastery of the short story and character depiction. She taught for decades at UNC Chapel Hill, mentoring many writers. An endowed creative writing professorship was established in her name upon retirement, and film and stage adaptations broadened her cultural reach.
Academic Societies
- The Fellowship of Southern Writers
Archives
- Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina (possible holdings related to Betts)
In Popular Culture
- The short film 'Violet', based on 'The Ugliest Pilgrim', won an Academy Award and was later adapted into a musical.
Trivia
- "The Ugliest Pilgrim" was adapted into the short film 'Violet', which won an Academy Award (Best Live Action Short).
- While an undergraduate she won the Mademoiselle College Fiction contest (1953).