Idols

"Idols" by William John Locke is a story that looks at complicated relationships between three people named Irene Merriam, her husband Gerard, and Gerard's good friend, Hugh Colman. The book starts by showing us ideas about love, staying true to someone, feeling jealous, and the hard choices people have to make because of what society expects. At first, two men do something wrong, which starts a series of events that change the lives of four people who don't seem to be connected at all. We then meet Irene Merriam, who is happy with her life alongside Gerard and Hugh, both of whom care about her a lot. As they talk and act in different ways, we start to see problems arise, especially when Irene feels sorry for a Jewish girl named Minna Hart. Minna soon becomes important to them as her story is told. These early parts of the book set the stage for big changes and fights about what is right and wrong, all because of love, friendship, and the limits society puts on them, suggesting that there will be even bigger problems later on.