ABSTRACT
Pfeffer’s afterword dialogues with the essays in the collection to entice scholars back to King’s primary documents—letters, journals, and manuscripts—for their twenty-first-century analyses. Pfeffer includes pertinent passages that suggest that King’s own voice can illuminate her characters, settings, and meanings in “Balcony Stories” and “Monsieur Motte.” They hint at how King might have fashioned her imaginative tales from her life and observations. Included letters from editors and publishers also show how early mentors attempted to shape the budding writer’s work. The essay offers a road map for future study.
