Patricia Highsmith was born in Texas in 1921. She spent her adult life in France and Switzerland. She is the author of classics such as Strangers on a Train and Nothing That Meets the Eye. The book The Price of Salt (Carol) was published in 1953, under the pseudonym Claire Morgan. The book was rejected by many publishers due to its exploration of homosexual themes. The author of more than 20 books, Highsmith has also won numerous awards such as the O. Henry Memorial Prize and the Edgar Allan Poe Prize. She died in Switzerland on February 4, 1995. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay During the 1950s, America was going through one of the most conservative periods of the 20th century. This was the time when much of American politics focused on containing the spread of communism. Being gay or lesbian was extremely difficult and dangerous. The Cold War was also continuing after World War II and there were tensions between America and the Soviet Union. It was the time of the "Lavender Scare", which refers to the witch hunts and mass firing of homosexuals from their jobs by the United States government, claiming they were "risks to security” vulnerable to Soviet blackmail. Ironically, this persecution of homosexuals has brought more visibility to the LGBT community. This is why many gay and lesbian rights organizations, such as the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Billties, emerged in the early 1950s. In the postwar years, women were expected to getting married, raising a family, and limiting yourself to gender roles in society. But surprisingly, there is a treasure trove of cheap paperback novels that later became known by their journal: pulp fiction became popular. Many of these pulp fictions contained stories of women who love other women. Although these usually ended tragically – suicide, nervous breakdown or heartbreak – these novels helped become a lesbian cult classic. One of the main reasons for the appeal of the book – The Price of Salt – was that it had a happy ending, unlike most books about lesbians of that era. In her afterword, Patricia Highsmith writes about her inspiration for the book. She talks about an experience she had while working in a department store that inspired her to write the book. “It flowed from the tip of my pen as if from nowhere,” Highsmith wrote. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay She also admitted to a specific inspiration: a “blond woman in a fur coat,” who had walked into the store where she worked and immediately caught her eye. There was another inspiration for the character of Carol: Highsmith's former lover, Virginia Kent Catherwood, who divorced and lost custody of her child after a recording was made of her in a hotel room with another woman was used in court against her. This detail was also part of the main theme of their book. Although the book gave Highsmith extreme popularity, she remained undecided about it. She was particularly worried about what her 84-year-old grandmother, Willie-Mae, would think. This made her very insecure, even though her courage and openness about her sexuality was real and admirable...