50 pages • 1 hour read
Swamplandia
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Swamplandia! is a 2011 novel by the American author Karen Russell. It is an adaptation of her short story “Ava Wrestles the Alligator,” first published in the Summer 2006 issue of the literary magazine Zoetrope: All-Story and later collected in her 2006 book of short stories, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. It was longlisted for the Orange Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
A Miami native, Russell uses magical realism and elements of the supernatural to examine various environmental and socio-cultural issues that are distinctly Floridian. In addition to her debut collection and Swamplandia!, Russell has also published two other collections: Vampires in the Lemon Grove (2013) and Orange World and Other Stories (2019).
Set in the Ten Thousand Islands, a chain of islets and mangrove swamps on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Swamplandia! tells the story of the Bigtree family, owners and operators of an alligator-themed amusement park that is under threat from both environmental and human-generated menaces. Through the eyes of its 13-year-old narrator Ava, Swamplandia! examines the impact of grief and loss on the family, the coming-of-age experience of each of its three adolescents, and Unlock all 50 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
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By Karen Russell
