The road trip represents a temporary utopia that is eventually shattered by the legal realities of 1950s society [6]. 5. Essential Reading/Viewing
The story follows , a stage designer working a temporary job at a department store. She becomes infatuated with Carol Aird , an elegant suburban mother undergoing a difficult divorce. Their relationship develops during a cross-country road trip, but they are pursued by a private investigator hired by Carol’s husband to gather evidence of her "moral turpitude" to win a custody battle [1, 6]. 3. Key Characters
Carol’s former lover and loyal friend, who serves as a bridge between Carol’s past and present. 4. Themes to Explore The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
Sophisticated, wealthy, and burdened by the social expectations of her class. She must choose between her daughter and her authentic self.
Read the 1990 edition, which includes Highsmith’s afterword about the book's reception [2]. The road trip represents a temporary utopia that
Highsmith focuses heavily on how Therese watches Carol—the obsession with details like gloves, perfume, and cigarettes [5].
This guide covers the essentials of 1952 groundbreaking novel, The Price of Salt (also known as Carol ). 1. Context & Significance She becomes infatuated with Carol Aird , an
It was revolutionary for its time because it defied the "tragic lesbian" trope of the 1950s, where queer characters were typically punished, killed, or "cured" by the final page [3, 4].