Mildred Pierce (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: James M. Cain
- First Published: 1941
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Mystery and detective literature
- Subjects: Child rearing or parenting, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Mothers, Parents and children, Love or romance, Restaurants, bars, taverns, or pubs, Depression, economic, 1930’s, American Dream, Jealousy, envy, or resentment, Singing or singers
- Locales: Southern California
Mildred Pierce is a domestic tragedy in which wife-husband and mother-daughter relationships are perversely confused. Mildred Pierce's husband, Herbert (or Bert), is not a good provider, and his need in a wife is for maternal solicitude. Mildred is a capable and intelligent woman who suffers an obsession with her daughter, Veda, which she thinks is mother love. Veda is a talented coloratura soprano whose obsession is herself. Bert deserts his family for a woman who is a mother figure. Mildred, thrown upon her own resources, becomes a successful entrepreneur in the restaurant...
[The entire page is 594 words long]
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