The Two Vanrevels by Booth Tarkington is a novel set in the charming town of Rouen. The story centers on two young men, Tom Vanrevel and Crailey Gray, whose lives are dramatically changed by the arrival of Betty Carewe, the beautiful daughter of Robert Carewe, a wealthy local magnate. After returning home from a convent education, Betty is eager to experience the world outside, and her beauty instantly captures Tom’s attention. However, his admiration is complicated by her father’s hostility toward him. As the plot unfolds, a rivalry develops between Tom and Crailey, who is engaged to another woman, creating a complex love triangle.
Amid the small-town setting, The Two Vanrevels explores themes of love, social expectations, and the tension between personal desires and societal pressures. The novel highlights the challenges of romance and class dynamics, illustrating the intricate relationships that define the characters' lives. With its richly drawn characters and emotional depth, Tarkington’s novel offers a thoughtful exploration of love and rivalry.
Newton Booth Tarkington was an American author and playwright who lived from July 29, 1869, to May 19, 1946. His books The Magnificent Ambersons (1918) and Alice Adams (1921) are his most famous works. He has won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once. The other three are William Faulkner, John Updike, and Colson Whitehead. In the 1910s and 1920s, he was thought to be the best live American author. A number of his stories have been turned into movies. Tarkington, Meredith Nicholson, George Ade, and James Whitcomb Riley were some of the writers who helped Indiana have a Golden Age of writing in the first quarter of the 20th century. Booth Tarkington was in the Indiana House of Representatives for one term. He didn't like how cars came about, and many of his stories took place in the Midwest. He finally moved to Kennebunkport, Maine, and kept doing the work he had always done, even though he lost his sight. Tarkington was born on July 29, 1869, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father was a judge, and his mother was an officer. He came from a wealthy family in the Midwest that had lost a lot of money in the Panic of 1873.