When love is suppressed

The Price of Salt

Claire Morgan (Pseudonym), Patricia Highsmith 

249 pages, Paperback Published: 1 January 2015 by Dover Publications

Therese is a young woman struggling to find her place in relationships and career. She works as a sales clerk in a large department store to earn enough money to pursue her real love of set design. She is in a relationship with Richard, whilst he professes that she is the one, Theresa is indifferent and does not have the same strength of feelings. In the drudgery of selling dolls, Theresa serves Carol, a striking middle-aged woman, with whom is immediately enthralled with. Rather, than let this chance meeting pass by, Theresa sends Carol a card which elicits an invitation to lunch. The relationship between the two women evolves into love. A love that is forbidden and if exposed could result in ruin.

Where do I begin? Quite simply, Highsmith’s novel is an underrated American classic, it is not perfect but captures a time, character, societal norms and events that come to the page effortlessly. There is no lecturing, but you are shown how women wanting to be themselves were supressed by the expectations of society. When the two women meet, it is just not the attraction that draws you in but how each navigates the fledging romance.

Both women have controls placed on how they live. For Carol, it is the social conforms, the expectations of being a dutiful wife and mother. Further control is exerted by her ex-husband Harge by using their child as a bargaining chip in the divorce. One thing is clear that Carol is deeply unhappy. Theresa has Richard trying to control her by keeping her in a one-sided relationship. Even though, Theresa attempts to tell Richard that she does not love him, he refuses to believe her. His reasoning it that he is in love therefore so must she. These confines expand into what other believes

Carol’s interactions with Theresa are interesting, at times they come across as controlling and there is of course the age gap. Yet, you do wonder if Carol behaves in this manner not to control but to repel. That by being unpleasant she can drive Theresa and her feelings of love away.

Theresa is quite placid; she tends to go with the flow and never really has an opinion or direction of her own. Her backstory is delightfully rich and not what I expected. As we follow Theresa, we witness her slowly mature to know her own mind and to pursue what she really wants in life.

What I do appreciate is that everyone will have a view as to how a romance should be conducted. Highsmith has thrown that out and given us a complete mess of characters that are not sure of who or what they are. We go on that journey with them and watch as they stumble and fall but they arrive to where they want to be through a series of detours.

While it is ever so easy to get caught in the drama of the characters, Highsmith’s writing is just incredible with descriptions that succinctly capture the moment “The gray eyes regarded her directly now, and for the first time Therese faced them. There was a measure of humour in them, Therese saw. And what else? Curiosity and a challenge, too.”

Having read two of Highsmith’s previous works I was prepared for something special, but not this. It is a richly layered tapestry of flawed people all trying not to be lonely.