Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise

"Susan Lenox: Her Fall and Rise" by David Graham Phillips, is an early 20th-century story focusing on how society views people and the problems Susan Lenox faces because she was born to unmarried parents. The book explores hard topics like what society thinks is right, morality, and how unfairly women were treated at the time during a time when it was considered improper to do just this. The story begins dramatically, with Dr. Stevens trying to save a baby everyone thinks is dead, foreshadowing the struggles Susan will face because she was born out of wedlock and will face shame in her life after her mother's death. As the story goes on, we meet Ruth and George Warham, who are important to Susan's life, as they deal with their own fears and what society expects of them. The story emphasizes how innocent and beautiful Susan is, which is contrasted against the judging world around her, setting the stage for a gripping look at her journey up and down in that society.