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Richard Burlage in ORAL HISTORY goes to a rural area in the mountains to teach school and "find himself." When he gets there, he experiences culture shock: "I realized that, unwittingly, I had probably picked the most remote area still left in these United States, certainly I could not have felt more a stranger had I entered India" (Smith 105). Though from the beginning, Burlage himself felt like an outsider, he was surprised at the reception he receives when he goes to visit the Cantrell family: "Is your family always so unfriendly to strangers?" he asks Dory Cantrell (Smith 125).

Dory Cantrell, a simple mountain girl, and Richard find each other fascinating, and eventually fall in love. Aldous, an older man from town, sees this relationship between an "insider" and an "outsider" and warns Richard to stay away: "'You must forget her,' he said then, the note of true finality clearly present in his fine old voice. 'You have no choice. . .She is not your equal. You are a sojourner here. . ." (Smith 132). But Richard does not listen to Aldous, and he and Dory plan to run away to Richmond together.

Unfortunately, Richard realizes that he doesn't belong in the mountains, but Dory does belong: "I confess I could see her in no other setting other than the lovely wilderness of her birth, against no background other than those high mountains which are her home" (Smith 163). Richard returns to Richmond, where is father is waiting with a letter from Aldous saying that "Richard had sowed his oats in the wrong field. . .and advising him never to come back here again" (Smith 183).
Richard was an "outsider" and Dory was an "insider," so no one would support their union. Richard discovered harshly that he did not belong in Dory's world and she did not belong in his.


The Outsider vs. Insiders in Lee Smith's ORAL HISTORY

Richard Burlage in ORAL HISTORY goes to a rural area in the mountains to teach school and "find himself." When he gets there, he experiences culture shock: "I realized that, unwittingly, I had probably picked the most remote area still left in these United States, certainly I could not have felt more a stranger had I entered India" (Smith 105). Though from the beginning, Burlage himself felt like an outsider, he was surprised at the reception he receives when he goes to visit the Cantrell family: "Is your family always so unfriendly to strangers?" he asks Dory Cantrell (Smith 125). Dory Cantrell, a simple mountain girl, and Richard find each other fascinating, and eventually fall in love. Aldous, an older man from town, sees this relationship between an "insider" and an "outsider" and warns Richard to stay away: "'You must forget her,' he said then, the note of true finality clearly present in his fine old voice. 'You have no choice. . .She is not your equal. You are a sojourner here. . ." (Smith 132). But Richard does not listen to Aldous, and he and Dory plan to run away to Richmond together. Unfortunately, Richard realizes that he doesn't belong in the mountains, but Dory does belong: "I confess I could see her in no other setting other than the lovely wilderness of her birth, against no background other than those high mountains which are her home" (Smith 163). Richard returns to Richmond, where is father is waiting with a letter from Aldous saying that "Richard had sowed his oats in the wrong field. . .and advising him never to come back here again" (Smith 183). Richard was an "outsider" and Dory was an "insider," so no one would support their union. Richard discovered harshly that he did not belong in Dory's world and she did not belong in his.


Read about Outsiders in: SHE WALKS THESE HILLS Back to HUNTER'S HORN Back to themes list