Love as a Commodity

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews, discusses and compares the two novels 'The Day of the Locust', by Nathanael West and 'Mildred Pierce' by James Cain. The paper discusses how the two books share the common scene of Californian life, around the 1930s. The paper further discusses how the books also share their view of this world, especially regarding the way in which the emotional and sexual relationships between men and women are built.

From the Paper:

"Faye and Mildred differ widely in the aspects of their lives- Faye is merely a prostitute and an actress looking for fame and money, cruelly playing with the men who surround her, while Mildred is a hard-working mother, devoted to her family, and especially to her daughter. However, the two female protagonists do have something in common: first of all, Mildred's job as a waitress is another form of prostitution, and her excessive love for her daughter is, to a great extent a form of narcissism and selfishness, not entirely different from Faye's feelings."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cain, James. Mildred Pierce. New York: Alfred A Knopf Inc., 1941
• Jurca, Catherine White Diaspora: The Suburb and the Twentieth Century American Novel. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001
• West, Nathanael. The Day of the Locust. New York: New Directions, 1950

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• Analytical Essay # 3932 : "Who Can We Trust?"

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