Highsmith based the character of Carol on a blonde woman in a mink coat she saw while working at Bloomingdale’s during the 1948 Christmas rush [2, 5]. 2. Plot Summary
Watch the 2015 adaptation, Carol , directed by Todd Haynes, starring Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. It is widely praised for capturing the novel's atmospheric tension [7].
Sophisticated, wealthy, and burdened by the social expectations of her class. She must choose between her daughter and her authentic self. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
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
The road trip represents a temporary utopia that is eventually shattered by the legal realities of 1950s society [6]. 5. Essential Reading/Viewing Highsmith based the character of Carol on a
Originally published under the pseudonym Claire Morgan because Highsmith’s publishers feared being associated with "lesbian fiction" [1, 2].
Carol’s former lover and loyal friend, who serves as a bridge between Carol’s past and present. 4. Themes to Explore It is widely praised for capturing the novel's
Read the 1990 edition, which includes Highsmith’s afterword about the book's reception [2].