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| Author | Booth Tarkington |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Indiana University Press |
| Publication date | June 1921 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 277 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-89190-737-8 (hardback edition) |
Alice Adams is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Booth Tarkington which was also adapted into a 1935 comedy/drama film.
Contents |
Plot introduction
The narrative centers around the character of a young woman who aspires to climb the social ladder. Set in a middle-class family living in America at the turn of the 20th century.
Main characters
- Alice Adams – The main protagonist. An ambitious and vivacious young woman of 22 years whose optimism belies her declining social status.
- Arthur Russell – A young man smitten with Alice despite her family's lack of wealth and declining status.
- Virgil Adams – Alice's father. A man of integrity who lacks ambition. He is forced to take unacceptable risks on his family's behalf.
- Mrs. Adams – Alice's mother. A malcontent who always wants more than her husband can provide.
- Walter Adams – Alice's brother. A young man without ambition who prefers to consort with the lower classes.
- J. A. Lamb – Virgil's boss. An honorable man who runs a very successful business.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
- Main article Alice Adams (film)
The plot of the film revolves around a social climbing girl (Katharine Hepburn) and her mother (Ann Shoemaker). It was written by Dorothy Yost, Mortimer Offner and Jane Murfin. The film was directed by George Stevens. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
External links
| Preceded by The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton |
Pulitzer Prize for the Novel 1922 |
Succeeded by One of Ours by Willa Cather |
