Local color, a style of artistic expression derived from the presentation of the features and peculiarities of a particular locality and its inhabitants.
Gadfly taught American literature, and one of the movements in 19th century American literary history is called the “local color movement.” There were, for instance, a group of New England writers, a group of mid-western writers, and so forth. These writers drew on local character types, writing the kind of story that, in effect, was instantly recognizable as coming from and helping define a certain area. The kind of writing that, in effect, could not have been written anywhere else.
Gadfly would like to have local color creative contributions as a regular feature of the Gadfly.
A “fun” feature that reminds us that real life happens outside the Town Hall chambers where life is all business and sometimes heated business and even sometimes monkey business.
We are an interesting City filled with interesting stories. There’s real life out there. Bring it to us in whatever form you can.
Like the old tv show used to say,
“there are a thousand stories in the naked city, and this is just one.”
So on our “About” page I describe the local color feature this way:
Local Color: original creative work with recognizably local Bethlehem subjects or connections — art, poems, mini-essays, vignettes, photographs, songs — that help us see or think about our town and townspeople in interesting ways.
Thus far we have two photos from Vicki — one at her home, the other at work — and two Gadfly vignettes — one on Schoenersville Rd, one on Lorain Ave. — as examples.
Let’s hear from you. Tell Gadfly your ideas. Color us up!
