An Interest in Life
by Grace Paley
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At a glance:
- Author: Grace Paley
- First Published: 1959
- Type of Plot: Realism
- Time of Work: The 1950’s
- Setting: New York City
- Characters: Virginia, Mrs. Raftery, John Raftery
- Genres: Short fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Mothers, Parents and children, Love or romance, Friendship, Poverty or poor people, Wit or humor, Separation, Happiness
- Locales: United States, North America, New York, New York
The Story
The plot is quite simple: “An Interest in Life” offers a first-person account of a young woman, Virginia, who is deserted by her husband shortly before Christmas. Thanks to the advice of her downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Raftery, rent and food money from the Welfare Department, the amorous attentions of Mrs. Raftery’s son, John, and her own sense of humor, Virginia and her four children manage quite well without her husband.
The husband’s parting gifts are a new broom and a passionate, mean kiss intended to let her know what she will be missing. With only...
(The entire page is 1577 words.)
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