The Group by Mary McCarthy
"The Group," a novel by Mary McCarthy, follows the lives of eight Vassar College graduates from the class of 1933 as they navigate the complexities of identity and societal expectations in the years leading up to World War II. The story begins at the wedding of Kay Leiland Strong, a vibrant member of the group, and explores how each woman struggles to carve out her own path in a time when societal norms often dictated that women marry rather than pursue careers. Throughout the narrative, McCarthy employs a third-person perspective with multiple voices, allowing readers to gain insight into each character's values and aspirations.
Despite their privileged backgrounds and shared experiences at Vassar, the women face challenges that reveal their insecurities and the pressures of conforming to traditional roles. For example, Dottie's journey reflects the tension between her desires and societal expectations, ultimately leading her to choose marriage over independence. The novel's irony underscores the discrepancy between the characters' hopes for modernity and the realities they encounter, highlighting the difficulties women faced in asserting their identities during this period.
"The Group" gained significant attention at its release due to its candid discussions of sexuality and women's roles, making it a notable work in the context of evolving female independence in literature and society. The narrative culminates in a reunion at Kay's funeral, poignantly illustrating the enduring struggles of the characters as they grapple with the impacts of their choices and societal constraints.
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Subject Terms
The Group by Mary McCarthy
First published: 1963
The Work
Mary McCarthy’s The Group traces eight Vassar students from 1933, the year of their graduation, to 1940, as each struggles to find her identity in society. It opens at the wedding of Kay Leiland Strong, one of the most vibrant and daring members of the group. At Vassar, the eight had shared a dorm and had been considered members of the student body’s elite. They were all attractive, intellectual, envied, and members of privileged, monied classes.
After graduation, each felt a need to distinguish herself, to attain an identity separate from college and from parents. They believed themselves, McCarthy tells the reader, a different breed. Each planned to work, in a time when the more common expectation for such women was marriage, and to contribute to society.
The story is told in the third person, using a variety of voices. Each character assumes the central role at some point during the novel, exposing her personal values and attitudes, many of which are conventional, even stereotypical. As a result, some critics describe the novel as full of clichés, yet McCarthy has brilliantly mimicked the problems and worries of the different characters, revealing flaws, excuses, self-delusions. The novel’s irony lies in the difference between the characters’ perceptions and desires and reality, which is clear to the reader.
For example, Dottie loses her virginity in an attempt to be modern and adult. She spends much of that fateful evening in a fantasy conversation with her mother. Later on, the reader discovers that her mother is not only equally modern but also possibly wiser as well. Dottie soon settles for marriage to an older man in spite of her continued fascination for her first lover. She is afraid to find an identity on her own. In fact, in spite of the idealistic goals the group sets forth at Kay’s wedding, most settle for marriage and family. They find themselves trapped by the expectations of family and society. Priss eventually quits the job she loves to become a full-time mother. She and her son even become an experiment in child rearing for her husband, a pediatrician with theories.
The novel ends as the group gathers again, this time at Kay’s funeral. McCarthy makes it clear that it is not easy for a woman to find her identity in the society of this period, no matter how privileged and bright she may be. The Group received much advance publicity and went almost immediately to the top of the best-seller list. Its frank portrayals of sex and sexuality, virginity, and birth control contributed to its initial appeal. Women’s roles were changing, both in literature and society, and The Group provided an intriguing portrait of the problems relating to this emerging independence and sexuality.
Bibliography
Auchincloss, Louis. “Mary McCarthy.” In Pioneers and Caretakers. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1965. Auchincloss criticizes The Group as an entertaining but disappointing book. He does not regard the central characters as sufficiently interesting or distinct from any other group of young adults.
Auchincloss, Louis. Pioneers and Caretakers: A Study of Nine American Novelists. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1961. Auchincloss regards McCarthy the novelist as a caretaker of American culture. Covers McCarthy’s transition from novellas (“a perfect medium for [her]”) to longer works such as The Oasis. Considers The Groves of Academe the apex of her satirical art. A valuable guide to McCarthy.
Brightman, Carol. Writing Dangerously: Mary McCarthy and Her World. New York: Clarkson Potter, 1992. Supplements but does not supersede Carol W. Gelderman’s earlier biography. Like Gelderman, Brightman was able to interview her subject, and her book reflects not only inside knowledge but (as its subtitle suggests) also a strong grasp of the period in which McCarthy published. Includes a biographical glossary and notes.
Gelderman, Carol W. Mary McCarthy: A Life. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Probably the most thorough study available on McCarthy and a must for scholars of her work as well as fans of good biography. Essentially a biography, but includes much valuable criticism of her novels and extracts from her letters and other writings. The material is arranged chronologically and is well organized. No bibliography, but includes extensive notes.
Grumbach, Doris. The Company She Kept. New York: Coward, McCann, 1967. A full-length study of McCarthy with special emphasis on her Catholic upbringing. In a personal and accessible style, Grumbach skillfully interweaves biography with criticism of McCarthy’s novels, stressing her profoundly feminine approach. Follows McCarthy’s development as a writer, including her involvement with the Partisan Review circle in the late 1930’s, her time in Europe, the elusiveness of critical acclaim for her work, and the popular success of The Group.
Hardy, Willene. Mary McCarthy. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1981.
McKenzie, Barbara. Mary McCarthy. New York: Twayne, 1967. In this biographical and literary analysis, McKenzie interprets The Group as a social satire. Kay is presented as the one character who develops sufficiently to face her own failure.
Mailer, Norman. “The Case Against McCarthy.” In Cannibals and Christians. New York: Dial Press, 1966. Mailer criticizes McCarthy for “not reaching far enough” in The Group. He sees the novel’s main characters as largely identical and as anachronistic in their espousal of 1950’s values during the 1930’s.
Stock, Irvin. Mary McCarthy. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1968. A pamphlet that offers accessible, readable criticism with insight into McCarthy’s motives as a writer. Takes the point of view that McCarthy’s work is loyal to the life that she lived—that the mind’s accomplishments are worth little in the face of life’s difficulties. Includes discussion of McCarthy’s nonfiction as well as her novels, in particular her controversial piece Vietnam. Selected bibliography.