Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise

Susan Lenox is born to an unwed mother who dies in childbirth. She is raised by her aunt and uncle who are middle-class and respectable. However Susan is always aware of her illegitimacy and she feels like an outsider.When Susan is 16 years old she is forced to marry a wealthy man named Carl Graham. Graham is a cruel and abusive husband and Susan soon finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage. She begins an affair with a young man named Neville Waterman but the affair is discovered and Susan is forced to leave her husband.Susan then falls into a life of prostitution. She is exploited by her pimps and clients and she becomes increasingly desperate. However she never gives up hope of finding a better life.Eventually Susan meets a man named Arthur Forrest who helps her to get out of prostitution and start a new life. Susan and Arthur marry and have a child. Susan finally finds happiness and fulfillment and she is able to rise above the circumstances of her birth.Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise is a powerful and moving novel that explores the challenges faced by women in the early 20th century. The novel is also a critique of the double standard for women which allowed men to engage in sexual activity without censure while women were punished for the same behavior.