Mary McCarthy
Biography of Mary McCarthy
Full Name and Common Aliases
Mary Therese McCarthy, often simply referred to as Mary McCarthy, was a prominent American writer and critic known for her sharp wit and incisive commentary on social and political issues.
Birth and Death Dates
Mary McCarthy was born on June 21, 1912, in Seattle, Washington, and passed away on October 25, 1989, in New York City.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Mary McCarthy was an American author, essayist, and critic. Her work spanned various genres, including novels, essays, and memoirs, and she was renowned for her critical acumen and literary prowess.
Early Life and Background
Mary McCarthy's early life was marked by tragedy and resilience. Born into a family of mixed religious heritage, her father was of Irish Catholic descent, and her mother was of Jewish ancestry. At the age of six, McCarthy lost both her parents to the influenza pandemic of 1918, a devastating event that profoundly shaped her life and work. Following their deaths, she and her siblings were sent to live with relatives in Minneapolis, where she endured a difficult and often abusive upbringing.
Despite these challenges, McCarthy excelled academically and eventually attended Vassar College, where she graduated in 1933. Her time at Vassar was transformative, providing her with a rigorous intellectual environment and a network of influential friends and mentors. This period laid the foundation for her future career as a writer and critic.
Major Accomplishments
Mary McCarthy's career was marked by a series of significant accomplishments that established her as a leading voice in American literature and criticism. She gained early recognition for her work as a critic for publications such as The New Republic and Partisan Review, where her essays and reviews showcased her keen analytical skills and fearless approach to controversial topics.
Her breakthrough as a novelist came with the publication of "The Company She Keeps" in 1942, a semi-autobiographical work that explored the complexities of female identity and social mores. This was followed by a series of successful novels, including "The Group" (1963), which became a bestseller and was later adapted into a film. "The Group" offered a candid portrayal of the lives of eight Vassar graduates, capturing the zeitgeist of the 1930s and resonating with readers for its honest depiction of women's experiences.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to her novels, Mary McCarthy was a prolific essayist and critic. Her collection "The Writing on the Wall and Other Literary Essays" (1970) and her memoir "Memories of a Catholic Girlhood" (1957) are considered significant contributions to American literature. Her essays often tackled political and social issues with a blend of humor and insight, earning her a reputation as a formidable intellectual.
One of her most notable public actions was her legal battle with playwright Lillian Hellman, whom she famously criticized on a television talk show. McCarthy's assertion that "every word [Hellman] writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'" led to a high-profile libel lawsuit, which McCarthy ultimately won. This incident underscored her commitment to truth and integrity, even in the face of personal and professional risk.
Impact and Legacy
Mary McCarthy's impact on American literature and culture is profound. Her work challenged societal norms and provided a voice for women in a male-dominated literary world. She was a trailblazer in addressing issues of gender, politics, and identity, and her fearless critique of hypocrisy and injustice remains influential.
Her legacy is also evident in the way she inspired future generations of writers and thinkers. McCarthy's ability to blend personal narrative with broader social commentary set a standard for literary excellence and intellectual rigor.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Mary McCarthy is widely quoted and remembered for her sharp wit, incisive criticism, and fearless exploration of complex social issues. Her ability to articulate the nuances of human experience with clarity and humor has made her a lasting figure in American letters. Her quotes often reflect her commitment to truth and her disdain for pretense, resonating with readers who value honesty and intellectual courage.
In a world where the power of words can shape public discourse, Mary McCarthy's legacy as a writer and critic endures, reminding us of the importance of speaking truth to power and the enduring impact of a well-crafted sentence.
Quotes by Mary McCarthy
I suppose everyone continues to be interested in the quest for the self, but what you feel when you're older, I think, is that you really must make the self.
The American character looks always as if it had just had a rather bad haircut, which gives it, in our eyes at any rate, a greater humanity than the European, which even among its beggars has an all too professional air.
I understand what you are feeling,” he said. “As Socrates showed, love cannot be anything else but the love of the good. But to find the good is very rare. That is why love is rare, in spite of what people think. It happens to one in a thousand, and to that one it is a revelation. No wonder he cannot communicate with the other nine hundred and ninety-nine.
He was a thoroughly bad hat, then, but that was the kind, of course, that nice women broke their hearts over.
I mean exactly that,” Mr. Davison retorted. “You’ve hit the nail smack on the head. We pay a price for having money. People in my position” – he turned to Kay – “have ‘privilege.’ That’s what I read in the Nation and the New Republic.” Mrs. Davison nodded. “Good,” said Mr. Davison. “Now listen. The fellow who’s got privilege gives up some rights or ought to.
She felt really quite unequal to the tedious process of reconciliation which, in view of the fact that she was sorry, seemed to her highly unnecessary, like some legal routine or the difficulty of getting passports. Her interest in expiation quickly vanished in the face of its actuality.
They had caught a glimpse of themselves in a mirror, a mirror placed at a turning point where they had expected to see daylight and freedom, and though each of them, individually, was far from believing himself perfect, all had counted on the virtues of others to rescue them themselves.
The labor of keeping house is labor in its most naked state, for labor is toil that never finishes, toil that has to be begun again the moment it is completed, toil that is destroyed and consumed by the life process.