THE SINGLE PARENT IN THE FICTION OF HENRY JAMES AND EDITH WHARTON

Henry James and Edith Wharton share similarities in background, life style, and professional goals. One characteristic they share is the repeated occurrence of the single parent. This study explores diverse single-parent situations, based on particular social issues such as divorce, illegitimacy, and public attitudes. Furthermore, the focus is on artistic individualities of James and Wharton in how they present similar conditions and circumstances. The various single-parent situations depict conflicts between individual and environment brought forth by deviations from the norm. The function of the single parent in both James's and Wharton's novels and stories is to reflect society in the process of alteration and change.