Alice Adams
What is Alice Adams about?
Alice Adams (1921) follows a young woman in a Midwestern town desperately trying to rise above her modest family circumstances through social ambition and pretense. Her increasingly painful efforts to appear wealthier and more refined than she is build to a devastating climax. Won the Pulitzer Prize.
Main themes in Alice Adams
Social ambition
In Alice Adams, social ambition provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Class anxiety
The theme of class anxiety weaves through Alice Adams, adding depth to its narrative.
Pretense
The presence of pretense in Alice Adams connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Midwestern town
In Alice Adams, midwestern town provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Why Alice Adams is still relevant today
Pulitzer Prize winner. A painfully acute portrait of social ambition and class anxiety that remains devastatingly relevant.
More by this author
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Alice Adams about?
A young woman desperately pretends to be wealthier than she is in a Midwestern town — a devastating Pulitzer-winning portrait of class anxiety.
Where can I read it?
Free on TextStack.