Scarlet Sister Mary

SCARLET SISTER MARY
by Julia Peterkin

 Award: Pulitzer Winner 1929

 Dates Read: December 3, 2008 & September 18, 2017

 Scarlet Sister Mary, set in South Carolina, is a fabulous book about a black woman torn between living a respectable and virtuous life, but also wanting to buck convention and follow her pleasure. Readers can tell right away that the man Mary weds, July, is never going to be faithful or a good provider, yet Mary is already pregnant with Unex (short for Unexpected) and is head-over-heels in love with him.

 Over the years, July comes and goes but Mary has other lovers and other children by other men, never marrying any of them. She earns the scorn of everyone around her, becoming somewhat of a pariah, unwelcome at church or in others' homes. Throughout, however, she always remains true to herself.

 I am conflicted over this novel for several reasons. I understand that in order to explore these issues, the main character needed to be a woman, particularly since women of that time had few, if any, choices. But the need for this character to be black, I am unsure if there is a hidden (or not so hidden) assertion that black women are more susceptible to loose morals. Nevertheless, I loved this book and relish that is was banned when first released.

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