Reading Katherine Anne Porter’s Pale Horse, Pale Rider in the Time of COVID-19: A Psychological Reader’s Response Study

Abstract

This dissertation looks at Katherine Anne Porter’s collection of short novels Pale Horse, Pale Rider through a Psychological Reader’s Response lens with particular reference to the condition of life during corona times. By taking into account the factors of life during COVID-19 and the general inclination of people towards pandemic literature, this dissertation focuses on the psychological impact of these works on the readers. All three novellas Old Mortality, Noon Wine, and Pale Horse, Pale Rider constitute varied illness narratives that act as a source of consciousness-raising in addition to helping us understand the complexity of our situation. We tend to judge and interpret a literary text based on our association with it. Psychological Reader’s Response theory provides an understanding of this judgment.  So reading this novel during COVID-19 brings attention to one’s situation and societal position. This dissertation argues why reading pandemic fiction like Pale Horse, Pale Rider at a time like this can both negatively impact and provide a sense of companionship to readers. Like Pale Horse, Pale Rider, the first two short novels Old Mortality and Noon Wine are also psychologically impactful. Separate chapters are dedicated to each of these short novels.