The Aunt’s Story | The Aunt’s Story

At a glance:

Author: Patrick White
First Published: 1948
Type of Work: Psychological symbolism
Time of Work: The early decades of the twentieth century, particularly the years just prior to the outbreak of World War II
Setting: Meroe (near Sydney, Australia), the Hotel du Midi on the French Riviera, and the United States
Principal Characters: Theodora Goodman, Lou Parrott, Moraitis, General Alyosha Sergie Sokolnikov, Holstius
Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
Subjects: Self-discovery, United States or Americans, Traveling or travelers, Voyages, France or French people, Music or musicians, 1940’s, 1910’s, 1920’s, 1930’s, Women’s issues, Personality, Adventure, Musical instruments, Australia or Australians, Intuition
Locales: France, United States, Riviera, Sydney, Australia

The Aunt’s Story boasts one of the great opening lines in the history of the novel: “But old Mrs. Goodman did die at last.” Following her domineering mother’s timely demise, Theodora Goodman embarks on a lengthy trip from her native Australia to pre-World War II Europe and thence to the United States. Much of the action of The Aunt’s Story is filtered through the increasingly disjointed consciousness of Theodora; hers is a psychological as well as a physical voyage.

The Aunt’s Story | The Aunt’s Story

At a glance:

The Novel

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