Despite the racy cover, Divorce by American author James Warner Bellah is a serious novel, deep with psychology of what a man and a woman mean to each other individually, and in society.
My copy is the 1952 Popular Library paperback pictured here, but it first appeared in 1939 as a Cosmopolitan Magazine story with the title You Marry Once.
Mason and Pom are comfortable in their marriage, with a young son, and the prospect of a building a new house. They feel they have something other people do not. Mason is her whole life - she feels a satisfaction too deep to speak of, "such a personal feeling inside her that she couldn't violate it with words."
Mason has left his advertising job to partner with Owen in their own firm, and the gamble has paid off. There is money and stability, surpassing his old salary of $7500. a year.
When Pom drives Mason to the station for the commute to New York, they see long-legged Rita Finch, heavy in her mink. Smart, stylish and divorced, it's natural she plays around for amusement. She is a career woman who doesn't need another man. Pom is without jealousy; in fact, Rita is the couple's good friend.
Another grand friend is Dwight, visiting Pom to drop off the plans for the new house, announcing he is leaving town. Why? Simply that he has fallen in love with Pom, and does not want to impose on their marriage.
When Pom tells Mason, he is not reassured she is faithful, and acts like a petulant boy, his pride is somehow hurt. Life carries on, but after Rita and Mason have lunch together, Pom finds his handkerchief soaked in Rita's scent, and wrongly suspects there is something going on. From then on nothing either one can do will calm themselves.
"Do people outgrow marriage Mason? Is it possible that people don't need marriage any longer in the world?." They thought they were devoted to each other but fights and miscommunications ensue, and petty pride forces them to act out of character. There is quite a lot about advertising as Mason succeeds, with new dresses and a new car, and then it is on the verge of collapse as Owen has a breakdown - his wife who married him for position and wealth has returned to her first love. The new house is cancelled, and Dwight, wracked with guilt at causing problems, tries to asphyxiate in the garage.
They are caught in a gradual drifting apart, holding the outward form of marriage through habit and fear of something worse, but knowing no unity any more. In all, a sad case of division on all sides that no one wants, like they have closed the doors on each other.
Can they remain in a marriage and be fulfilled? Will they be able to work it out?
I found this a solid read, and of its time an intelligent novel. Maybe not easy to find, but enjoyable if you do. This is a psychological novel of two individuals together, not angry or vicious, just lost in direction and trying to find out what that means.
James Warner Bellah wrote mostly Westerns, with several his stories being turned into films, like Rio Grande, Fort Apache, and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, and he wrote the screenplay for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
1939/1952 / Paperback / 128 pages
Seems interesting. I will search for it. - Neeru