Across the Chasm

"Across the Chasm" by Julia Magruder is a story about Margaret Trevennon, a lovely young woman from the South, who struggles with what society expects of her, the roles women play, and her personal dreams, especially when she meets different people in her town and in Washington, D.C. The story looks at her relationships, like the one she has with Charley Somers, who seems to just admire her without doing much, and Louis Gaston, a well-mannered man from the North who represents how complicated social classes and cultures can be. The book starts by showing Margaret's life at home and who she is, explaining how she was raised in a Southern mansion that was once amazing but isn't anymore. When she's walking in her town, she runs into Charley Somers, and it shows how their romantic relationship is difficult and uneven. Their talk brings up Margaret's strong ideas about work, wanting to achieve things, and having high hopes, which shows how she's torn between what she wants for herself and what society tells her she should want. The beginning of the book suggests that she's about to go out into the world more, hinting that she will be visiting her cousin in Washington, where she will learn more about herself and what her situation is.