The Expensive Moment (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Grace Paley
- First Published: 1985
- Type of Work: Short story
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: Child rearing or parenting, United States or Americans, Parents and children, Politics, Revolutionaries, Exile or expatriates, China or Chinese people, Activism
“The Expensive Moment” is a complex and textured fabric of moments, observations, encounters, emotions, and ideas in a particular period of Faith's life. Presumably the same character of Paley's other stories, she here inhabits a world of overtly political discussions and deeper, mellower wisdom.
The people in Faith's life are all vigorously engaged in political and emotional pursuits. Her sons are grown: Tonto is in love, and Richard is an active member of the League for Revolutionary Youth. Faith is in a solid but stale marriage to a furniture store salesman named Jack and...
[The entire page is 909 words long]
