Alice Adams, the daughter of middle-class parents, wants desperately to belong with the people of "high society" who live in her town. Ultimately, her ambitions are tempered by the realities of her situation, which she learns to accept with grace and style. Alice's resiliency of spirit makes her one of Booth Tarkington's most compelling characters. A fascinating story that won the Pulitzer Prize.
Alice Adams, published in 1921, is a novel by Booth Tarkington that explores themes of social class, ambition, and the complexities of human relationships in early 20th-century America. The story revolves around Alice Adams, a young woman from a lower-middle-class family in the fictional town of Bursville, Indiana, who aspires to rise above her social status.
Alice is characterized by her charm, wit, and determination, but she grapples with the limitations imposed by her family's financial struggles and her own insecurities about fitting into the upper echelons of society. Her parents, particularly her mother, have aspirations for her to marry into a wealthier social circle, leading Alice to navigate the complexities of social interactions with both hope and desperation.
The novel explores Alice's attempts to impress the more affluent members of society, including her infatuation with a wealthy young man named Arthur Russell. Her efforts to maintain a facade of sophistication often lead to comedic situations but also reveal deeper truths about identity and the pressures of societal expectations.
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Categories: Fiction Historical Literature