 | ||
Similar Willa Cather books, Other books | ||
The Profile is a short story by Willa Cather. It was first published in McClure's in June 1907.
Contents
Plot summary
At an Impressionists's club, painters are arguing over the seriousness of art, prompting Dunlap to leave the room. Later in Paris, he meets Mr Gilbert and starts making a portrait of his daughter Virginia. They soon get married and have a child, Eleanor. However, Virginia shows no feeling of affection for her, being too busy with the vagaries of fashion and throwing parties.
Her cousin Miss Vane stays with them and looks after the baby daughter. Dunlap grows tired of his wife's superficiality, and once holds Miss Vane's hands inappropriately, which throws her, and seems to vindicate his wife's jealousy. He eventually proceeds to make a crass remark about a scar Virginia bears. The next day, she leaves for Nice, later to go to America, and finally to Saint Petersburg. She files for divorce and becomes internationally famous for her sense of style. Dunlap marries Miss Vane.
Characters
Allusions to other works
Literary significance and criticism
It has been argued that the story is characteristic of 'the author's strange abhorrence for physical defect'.