Evening star., 1947-06-29
Natalie Scott
ViewsProbiem
OF Alcoholism
THE STORY OF MRS. MURPHY
Bv Natalie Anderson Scott. fE.
p. Dutton g. Co.. $3)
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

p. DhttOn d Co. S3I
Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES.
1.-THE story of Mrs. Murphy" be-
longs with those exceptional novels
that deal with life in a way that
touches a universal chord in read
ers, bringing them the feeling that
these are things they've known in
timately, things that might have
happened to them.
Such a novel, whatever its faults
and this book is not without them
has the power and the insight TO
evoke a compassionate understand
ing. In this sense, such a novel
is a major achievement, however
we'll it measures up otherwise. You
look back on its characters pleased
at their little triumphs, distressed
at their failures and weaknesses.
Miss SCOTS novel is the story
of a disease-alcoholism. The Mrs.
Murphy" of the title is the bottle,
the only wife Jimmy Murphy ever
had. to quote his mother. His grad
ual disintegration between youth
and middle age is described. He
comes from a good Irish family and
In reared in a comfortable home.
He never knows want until drink
brings 1t or-he has his chances
for a career. His family, his friends
are sympathetic; they try to help
him, he tries to help himself. But
he can stay away from liquor only
a certain time, perhaps a few
months, then the compulsion drags
him back to elation, suffering,
degradation. The final result Is a
tragedy typical Of America--today
or In 1880.
Not Like the Others.
This book no doubt will be COM
pared to other recent novels which
have dealt with alcoholics. But
why? Miss Scotts novel is moth
ing like the others. It touches the
problem in a broader way, with
deeper social implications. Its ap-
proach is different. 1t probably Will
be said, because Miss Scott was
born In Russia of Russian parents,
that Dostoevsky has influenced her.
Perhaps he has, But probably, Ia
guess, Dickens and Dreiser-to name
two authors at opposite literary poles
quite as much. Or Zola. But why
insist on either comparison or IN
fiuence? Miss Scott is entitled to
be Judged as an individual.
The Murphy family, though seen
through sympathetic eyes, is not en-
tirely persuasive; perhaps it's too
patiently an outsiders conception OF
an average Irish Catholic middle
class family. The father is what
is called a working man, one son
becomes a priest, another a police
man, and so on. The mother is the
only one except the priest who
takes their faith very seriously. This,
surely, is not. typical of such an
Irish-American family. The Muir
phys, in fact, might better have
been the Smiths or the Browns or
any other respectable family whom
Miss Scott might have understood
better than she knows the Irish.
Warped by Liquor.
7 found myself in sympathy with
Jlmmy's struggle against his IA
niliar fiend more because of COM
passion for those who loved him
than because of Jimmy himself.
Jimmys lovable qualities are men
toned repeatedly. but mostly we
have to take the authors word. He
is generous with money when he
has it, but otherwise, even sober,
he's mean. with a temper that flares
at nothing. Perhaps the intent was
to show that his whole nature
has been warped by the liquor, just
as the physical effects of his long
Sprees persist into months OF So
briefly.
When Miss Scott slips down seamy
streets and into cheap hangouts
where the lost ones live out their
half-lives, neither of the world
about them nor apart from it, she
is clear, natural. absolutely con-
vincing.
She has an amazing grasp OF how
these men exist, of their fantastic
atmosphere, filled at once with
co1naraderie, hostility, suspicion,
generosity and cruelty. She knows
their sickness, their absurd hopes,
their half-remernbered dreams.
Penitentiary Scenes.
The scenes in the penitentiary,
where Jimmy is sent for three years
after a sodden mixup with narcotic
carriers, have sharp reality, The
three women in love with Jimmy
are interesting enough, though why
they try so desperately and so long
TO reclaim man who often repays
them with curses and blows is be-
yond understanding. Or perhaps
it's not.
There is awkward, repetitious
writing in this long novel, even
trite phrases. At other points the
writing is pellucid. But however
slowly. however haltingly the narra-
tive moves at times, 1t manages
somehow to hold the interest, and,
as a whole, 20 build up suspense,
even terror. and to WELD cumula-
tive power.
The ending is unnecessarily melo-
dramatic. but so ably contrived that
somehow it does not spoil the effect,
the eliminating account of Jimmy's
destruction after he leaves prison
and goes back to drinking
The Story of Mrs Murphy" is a
Book-of the Month Club selection.
The publishers haye given it what
might be called a~terriflc promo
tional build up But, after all, they
have something to offer. And it