Peyton Place (novel)
| File:PeytonPlace.jpg First edition cover | |
| Author | Grace Metalious |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Julian Messner, Inc. |
Publication date | 1956 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 372 |
| OCLC | 289487 |
| Followed by | Return to Peyton Place |
Peyton Place is a 1956 novel by Grace Metalious. "Peyton Place" has become an expression to describe a place whose inhabitants have sordid secrets.
Peyton Place sold 60,000 copies within the first ten days of its release and remained on the New York Times best seller list for 59 weeks. The main plot follows the lives of three women—lonely and repressed Constance MacKenzie; her illegitimate daughter Allison; and her employee Selena Cross, a girl from "across the tracks", or as it is called in the book, "from the shacks." The novel describes how they come to terms with their identity as women and sexual beings in a small New England town. Hypocrisy, social inequities and class privilege are recurring themes in a tale that includes incest, abortion, adultery, lust and murder.
History
Contrary to popular belief, the "real" Peyton Place is a composite of Gilmanton, New Hampshire, Gilford, New Hampshire, Laconia, New Hampshire and Manchester, New Hampshire.[1]
Several characters and events were drawn from events in nearby towns and people Metalious actually knew. Selena Cross was based on Jane Glenn, a 20-year-old girl from the Gilmanton Iron Works, who murdered her father after years of sexual abuse and buried his body under a goat pen. In the novel, Selena kills her stepfather, since incest was considered too taboo for readers at the time. Metalious' editor Kitty Messner made the change, much to the author's dismay and disapproval.
Another controversial character was school principal Tomas Makris, who bore the name and physical description of a Laconia resident and co-worker of Metalious' school teacher husband. In editions available in the United Kingdom, this character's name was Michael Kyros. Makris sued for libel, winning an out-of-court settlement for $60,000. It later was revealed that Metalious had forged Makris' name on a release form, and the character was renamed Michael Rossi for the paperback, film version and television adaptation of the novel, and also in her 1959 sequel novel Return to Peyton Place. Although the sequel sold well, its success did not approach that of the original.
Some citizens of the Lakes Region took umbrage at the notoriety that was quickly thrust upon the area, and they directed their resentment at Metalious. Vicious rumors began circulating about the author, some true (Metalious had an affair), and some preposterous (she bought groceries while wearing a fur coat and nothing underneath). Metalious later tried to cash in on her success when she helped buy a motel on Lake Winnipesaukee that was re-christened the Peyton Place Motel, but it was an unsuccessful venture. Decades after the publication of the novel and the death of its author, the topic of Peyton Place still raises the ire of some.[1]
Despite the controversy and social commentary present in the novel, Metalious insisted that Peyton Place was a work of fiction. When John Michael Hayes, the screenwriter for the film adaptation, asked her if the novel was her autobiography, Metalious asked him to repeat the question and then spilled her drink on him.
Metalious wrote very accurately about New Englanders and many in her hometown still remember the scandal caused by the book. She was almost barred from being buried in the church cemetery, but the church and townsfolk in Gilmanton finally relented. To this day, someone puts flowers on her grave in the far off corner plot.
Plot summary
 | It has been suggested that Lucas Cross be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2010. |
Allison MacKenzie is the daughter of Constance MacKenzie. Constance had left Peyton Place for New York City at a young age. She met a man in the publishing business named Angus MacKenzie, but he was already married with children. He died shortly after Constance became pregnant with young Allison. Constance returned to Peyton Place as a "widow" with a year-old baby girl. Constance altered her daughter Allison's birthdate to make her appear legitimate.
Selena Cross was the daughter of Nellie Cross, who married Lucas Cross soon after Selena's birth. Selena was not Lucas' daughter. Nellie's older son, Selena's brother Paul, had left Peyton Place after Lucas stole money from him. Nellie and Lucas later had a child together, Joey who lives with them and Selena in "the shacks," or poor section of town. When Selena turned 14 years old, Lucas began to abuse her, impregnating her and leaving the local doctor in a troublesome situation in which he decided to perform an abortion. The doctor made Lucas leave town, and after she discovered this, Nellie committed suicide by hanging herself.
Leslie Harrington is the richest man in town and all of the things he accomplished were shattered into pieces when he lost his only son Rodney in a car accident.
Adaptations
A 1957 film adaptation was directed by Mark Robson. A prime time drama series, Peyton Place aired on ABC in half-hour episodes from September 15, 1964 to June 2, 1969.
References
- ^ Metalious, George and O'Shea, June. The Girl from Peyton Place, Dell, 1965.
See also
Further reading
- "Peyton Place's Real Victim" by Michael Callahan, Vanity Fair, March 2006, p. 332.