''A Charmed Life'' is a 1955 novel written by the
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
novelist
Mary McCarthy.
Setting
''A Charmed Life'' takes place in the small
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
town of New Leeds (presumably on
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...
), where "everyone is artistic, but no one is an artist."
Characters
* Martha Sinnott: Martha was once married to Miles Murphy. He threw her out of the house during a feud one night, so she went to her neighbor's, the home of John Sinnott. She fell in love with and married him. She is working on a play.
* John Sinnott: John is sensitive and loving. He marries Martha after she divorces Miles, and is supportive of Martha's writing career.
* Jane Coe: Jane is a real estate agent in New Leeds. She comes from a wealthy family.
* Warren Coe: Warren is an artist. It is a town joke that he is constantly trying to incorporate the '
4th dimension' (time) into his paintings. The Coes are considered the only normal couple in New Leeds.
* Miles Murphy: Miles is a pompous and self-important character. He is the most obvious villain . Despite his wickedness, which most everyone recognizes, he is also admired for his intellect. It is said that he once studied under
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist who founded the school of analytical psychology. A prolific author of Carl Jung publications, over 20 books, illustrator, and corr ...
.
* Helen Murphy: Helen is Miles'
trophy wife
A trophy wife is a wife who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband. The term is often used in a derogatory or disparaging way, implying that the wife in question has little personal merit besides her physical attractiveness, requires subs ...
. She comes from a wealthy
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
family.
* Dolly Lamb: Dolly is Martha's cousin and confidante; a new resident in New Leeds.
Plot
The story begins with the simple trials and tribulations of everyday life experienced by John and Martha Sinnott. Their background stories are gradually introduced, especially during their picnic with the Coes in the beginning. One night when John is away, Martha and Miles drunkenly have sex at Martha's house after a party at the Coes'. Martha becomes pregnant, and rather than having a baby whose paternity is ambiguous, she decides to have an abortion. Warren lends Martha the money to have an abortion. The story ends with Martha dying in a car accident on her way home from the Coes' house, with the money for the abortion and the address of the clinic in her pocketbook.
References
*
External links
The Coveted Escape ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', November 6, 1955
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charmed Life
1955 American novels
Novels by Mary McCarthy
Novels set on Cape Cod and the Islands