So Love Returns by Robert Nathan
"So Love Returns" is a poignant tale rooted in folklore, exploring themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. The narrative follows Lenny, a struggling children's book author, who grapples with the death of his wife, Trina. As he cares for their two young children, Lenny finds inspiration elusive and fears he cannot create without Trina by his side. His life takes a mysterious turn when a ethereal woman named Kathleen appears, described as having seaweed in her hair and fins on her feet, seemingly drawn from the depths of the sea. Kathleen steps in to help Lenny and his children, embodying a nurturing presence and bringing joy to their lives as they form a bond.
However, Kathleen's nature is entwined with a legend that complicates their relationship; if a demon falls in love with a mortal, she must ultimately return to her elemental origin. The story unfolds with Kathleen's inexplicable comings and goings, culminating in an emotional climax when she vanishes during a wedding ceremony, leaving Lenny with a profound sense of loss. Despite her absence, Lenny occasionally senses her presence and receives a warning that saves his children from danger, reinforcing the enduring connection they share. Ultimately, "So Love Returns" reflects on the complexities of love and the memories that linger long after a loved one has gone.
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Subject Terms
So Love Returns
First published: 1958
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—Magical Realism
Time of work: The mid-twentieth century
Locale: California
The Plot
So Love Returns is based on the folklore of a demon who comes to Earth to take the place of someone who has died. Following the death of his wife, Trina, Lenny struggles to make a living writing children’s books while he cares for his two young children, Trisha and Chris. Trina had been Lenny’s inspiration, and now that she is gone, he fears that he will be unable to write anything worthwhile. Like Jennie Appleton in Robert Nathan’s popular novel Portrait of Jennie (1940), Kathleen appears mysteriously to help the artist, then disappears into the unknown.
One day, as Lenny is working on his book about a sea-witch who lives in a cavern under the ocean, he hears Trisha screaming. Racing out to the beach, he sees Chris lying on the sand. Trisha says that a woman with seaweed in her hair and fins on her feet came out of the sea to save Chris from drowning. The woman, Kathleen, has disappeared, and Lenny is unable to find anyone who knows anything about her. One evening, as he walks alone on the beach, Kathleen appears in a mist, speaks to him briefly, and disappears again, leaving no footprints in the sand.
Kathleen continues to appear unexpectedly and then disappears mysteriously. When Lenny asks where she is from, she says he would not know the place. Kathleen seems to be watching over the family. She appears out of nowhere to help Lenny avoid an accident in his car on a foggy night and arrives to care for Trisha when she is sick. Kathleen cooks, plays with the children, and entertains them with stories. The children help her furnish a little house on the beach, and for a time they are all happy together.
Lenny falls in love with Kathleen and wants to make her a part of his life. Kathleen returns his love. According to the legend, however, if a demon falls in love with a mortal, she must return to the element from which she came.
A strange minister arrives to perform the wedding ceremony for Dick and Alice, who are friends of Lenny. Lenny thinks he looks like Proteus rising from the sea or Triton with his horn. As the minister looks out at the sea, Kathleen, appearing troubled, asks, “Already? . . . Is it so late?” At the end of the ceremony, the minister disappears, and as the fog rolls in, Lenny hears the sound of weeping coming from the direction of the sea. He realizes that Kathleen is gone.
Although Kathleen never returns, Lenny sometimes feels her presence. One night, the hills catch fire. Lenny hears a voice, Kathleen’s or Trina’s, that wakes him in time to get the children out of the house and to safety. Lenny’s manuscript is lost in the fire that destroys the house. Nothing is left but memories.