Was Katherine Anne Porter an alcoholic?

Answer 1

Ms. Unruh, author of a recent biography, does not say so. Indeed, Mr. Unruh doesn't even address the question, though it must surely be on the mind of every reader.

Miss Porter's behavior fit many patterns which alcoholics have: 1. the tendency to consume large quantities of alcohol socially. 2. the tendency to consume large quantities when alone for long periods of time--weeks or months. 3: the inability to control feelings of anger when confronted during an period of insobriety, resorting to violence. This was a frequent pattern in her life. 4: falling down and lapsing into unconsciousness, not necessarily in that order. This was common. 5: being found "in a coma" by others and hospitalized 6: being hospitalized "for a rest" for long periods of time--several months in one case, one or two months on many occasions, these hospitalizations being "for tests" and accepted by her mainly because they were an excuse to avoid deadlines. 7: falling down repeatedly when living alone, suffering extreme injuries and multiple bone fractures. 8: failing to manage her own affairs, domestically and financially, even when there was no credible reason or outside force preventing her from doing so. 9: relying implicitly and explicitly on other people to manage her affairs and then slandering them for their decisions, often doing so while delirious with alcohol, but even when drying out in the hospital . 10: Easily tired out while on lecture tours and teaching, even though the demands on her were never unusual. 11: severe episodes of depression, which she denied. 12: arranging her life around events where she could require that alcohol be served and serving alcohol at her own parties even when she knew that her guests were teetotallers. 13. Very vulnerable to colds, "influenza" and other ailments requiring extensive bedrest. 14. Smoking, even though it was always clear that her "bronchial attacks" were among her most serious health problems.

Miss Porter seems to have been able to avoid any scandals of public drunkenness, her episodes of anger, passing out, and falling down being for the most part at home or at small private events. But her friends and family and her doctors had always a concern for her,