There was a hidden jewel among the F. Scott Fitzgerald papers set for auction at Sotheby’s. His grandchildren, perusing those papers, rescued a previously unpublished short story, “Thank You for the Light,” a story rejected by The New Yorker in 1936. Finally published in August of 2012, we become Fitzgerald's beneficiaries, enjoying a new story published untouched by editors (a significant point) seventy-one years after his death. It is a gem of a story whose main character is so different from the Jazz Agers usually associated with Fitzgerald’s work that we are forced to think about it a bit differently.
Mrs. Hanson sells girdles and corsets. Her life is tired. Her single passion is her addiction to cigarettes—an addiction often frowned on in women by the people--usually men--she meets professionally, so at the end of a long, hard, smokeless day, she really longs for a cigarette. She is so desperate one evening that she stops in the vestibule of a Catholic church to sneak a quick smoke. What happens there is the crux of this one-page story, and I found it simple, touching and, in a way, beautiful.
In 1936, Fitzgerald was also writing about his own depression and problems, including the alcoholism that had pretty much destroyed his career. Mrs. Hanson’s common humanity untouched by the overindulgence-caused complexity we see in “The Great Gatsby” and in Fitzgerald’s last completed novel “Tender is the Night,” gives us a glimpse into the desperation of addiction. He does it with a gentle grace and style and without condemnation.
This is a great, quick read that reminds us of what a truly fine author can accomplish in a few words. For your Kindle, “Thank You for the Light” is available for $.99, and for the same price you can get it for your Nook at Barnes & Noble. If you are already a digital subscriber to The New Yorker, you can find it in their Aug. 6, 2012 archives.
If you recognize Fitzgerald’s greatness, this little diamond is shining brightly for you.
4 comments:
Nothing special.
Only the finest short story ever published.
The story really moved me. Like so many great pieces, its fate was left in the hands of people who did not want to think outside the box.
Thanks Wendy, how great is this??
Very great. And no one meddled with it. A gift from the grave.
Post a Comment