Indian Summer (novel)
Howells was a realist writer who wanted “his characters to be honest, ordinary people, as he might find in his strata of society, flawed and well-meaning, good-hearted and self-effacing, bound by the conventions and the restrictions of their day but quietly dreaming of a little local heroism in their souls.” [2] All of this is encompassed in the character Theodore Colville.
He was distraught so when his brother wrote to him to come to Des Vaches, Colville happily accepted the offer for a change in scenery.
Mrs. Bowen, whom he once knew as Lina Ridgely, was best friends with Jenny, the girl who broke Colville’s heart 20 years prior.
They have a surprisingly pleasant chat and she invites him to a gathering at her home, Palazzo Pinti, that evening.
When he comes in he notices a beautiful, young, blonde girl that's about twenty and asks Mrs. Bowen to introduce him to her.
After all the guests leave Colville stays behind to sit with Mrs. Bowen, Miss Graham, and young Effie by the fire.
Before Colville bids the women good night, Mrs. Bowen tells him he is welcome to drop by anytime.
From then on Colville becomes a common guest of the Bowens and every time he comes over he brings the women flowers and a little gift for Effie.
They go out shopping for dominos and masks and the saleswoman mistakes Colville to be Effie’s father but no one feels the need to correct her.
She leaves and Effie comes and sits on Colville’s lap and he tells her Florentine fairy tales.
When he leaves Mrs. Bowen talks to Miss Graham and tells her that as her surrogate mother for that winter she feels responsible to advice the girl if she becomes interested in man who unintentionally will make her unhappy.
He goes to the Palazzo Pinti and confronts Mrs. Bowen and she responds to him truthfully that it was she who had put this idea in the young girls head.
Finally Mrs. Bowen decides to write Colville a letter stating that there is no need for him to leave and invites him to lunch the following day to put everything behind them.
The next day he decides to visit the Boboli Gardens where he runs into Miss Graham, Effie Bowen, and Mrs. Amsden.
When Miss Graham goes to see the flowers alone with Colville she begs him not to go, admits her feelings for him and explains the whole misunderstanding with what Mrs. Bowen had said.
Imogene tells Colville that even if her family refuses she will keep her promise to stay with him because she loves him.
This new routine tires Colville and whenever he sits down he falls asleep because the day’s and night’s events have worn him out.
But Imogene realizes that this lifestyle does not suit Colville and tells him he doesn't need to do it anymore.
Mrs. Graham informs Colville that her daughter Imogene has realized after the accident that she isn't really in love with him.
The main parts of Florence that are mentioned are the Lung'Arno, Cascine, and the Boboli Gardens.
This is where they have the wreck that makes Miss Graham realize she's not in love with Colville, because he cares more for Mrs. Bowen and Effie.
Des Vaches, Indiana is where Colville went to forget his broken heart by focusing on the newspaper business.
Theodore Colville • Main character • Middle-aged (41) • Has an architecture degree • Born in Rhode Island • Has a wealthy older brother in Des Vaches, Indiana • Editor of popular newspaper Democratic-Republican for 15 years • In early 20s; had his heart broken in Florence by Jenny Wheelwright • Marries Evalina Ridgely and becomes stepfather to Effie Bowen Mrs. Bowen/ Lina Ridgely / Evalina Bowen • Was best friends with Jenny Wheelwright • Has a young daughter Effie • Widow: husband was leading lawyer in her Western City and was in Congress • Is in Europe for daughter’s education • Middle-aged but still very beautiful • Well respected in Florence society • From Columbus, Ohio • Lives in Palazzo Pinti in Florence • Brunette Imogene Graham • Young American woman of about 20 • From Buffalo • Blonde with dark eyes • Very beautiful and intelligent • Staying with Mrs. Bowen for the winter Effie Bowen • Daughter of Mrs. Bowen • About ten years old Rev.
Waters • Met Colville at the first gathering at Palazzo Pinti • American from Haddam East Village, Massachusetts • Becomes good friend of Colville • Old retired reverend, spending his last days in Florence Mr. Morton • Young clergyman in love with Miss Graham Jenny Milbury / Jenny Wheelwright • Woman who broke Colville’s heart when he was young • Best friends with Lina Ridgely back in those times As noted by John Updike in the New York Review of Books: “The novel examines a sexual triangle, with variations on the Oedipal triangle.”[4] Mrs. Bowen is acting as Miss Graham's surrogate mother abroad.
Colville’s love life follows the pattern of the seasons: “Except that this had happened in the fall, and now it was early spring, there seemed no change since then; the long years that had elapsed were like a winter between.” The event in the fall was his romance with Jenny Wheelwright and the same type of romance is happening now with the young Imogene Graham.
The winter in between was the time spent in Des Vaches where his only interest was the newspaper business.
Imogene Graham gives him a taste of the youthful excitement of discovering new things about the world.
The equivalent of the term in Italy is ‘Estate di San Martino’ but this refers to a holiday (which occurs around the same time Indian summers can happen in America), and not to the weather.
Howells may have used the phrase to compare the lives of Americans in America and expatriates in Europe.
[citation needed] • Serialized in Harper’s Monthly from July 1885 through February 1886 [4] • Ticknor and company, 1886 • Houghton, Mifflin, 1914 • Indiana University Press, 1971
