Patty's Perversities

In Short

Set in the quiet, stifling atmosphere of a small town called Montfield, the story follows the young, spirited Patty Sanford as she navigates the pressures of marriage and status. Surrounded by eccentric neighbors and a mother desperate to see her marry well, Patty finds herself trapped between her genuine feelings for the upright, if reticent, Tom Putnam and the lure of a wealthier suitor. A story of misunderstanding, vanity, and the small-town "perversities" of human character, it remains an enduring look at the friction between personal independence and community judgment.

The Story

The narrative centers on the social life of Montfield, where the primary occupation for the youth is the elaborate choreography of courtship. Patty Sanford, a bright and independent young woman, is the subject of much local scrutiny. Her mother, Mrs. Sanford, is a woman of "vulgar nature" who views marriage as a marketplace and is eager to marry her daughter off to Clarence Toxteth, a man of significant wealth. Patty, however, is drawn to Tom Putnam, a lawyer who is as "close-mouthed" as he is poor.

As the town prepares for a theatrical performance to benefit the local church, the tensions mount. Patty struggles with her own pride and a deep-seated fear of being misjudged. Her relationship with Tom is fraught with silence; he is a man of "long years of self-repression" who fails to articulate his love in the way Patty desperately craves. Meanwhile, the town is rife with gossip and petty dramas, ranging from the maid Bathalina’s constant attendance at funerals to the machinations of those seeking to uncover lost legal documents.

The conflict reaches a breaking point when Tom, acting in his professional capacity, attempts to resolve a pension issue for Patty’s grandmother. When he finds no record of the grandmother's marriage, Patty interprets his professional skepticism as a personal insult to her family’s honor. Her pride, fueled by her mother’s constant nagging and the malicious whisperings of rivals, drives a wedge between them. She plays with the affections of others, specifically the wealthy Toxteth, partly to spite those who gossip about her and partly to hide the hurt of Tom’s perceived distance.

The plot thickens with the discovery of a mysterious will belonging to the late Mr. Mullen, which threatens to upend the social order by favoring a woman of questionable reputation. Patty, having come into possession of this document, finds herself entangled in the secret motives of the town’s inhabitants. As the narrative progresses, the "perversities" of the title manifest in the characters' inability to communicate honestly. The ending, however, brings a resolution to the emotional stalemate. Patty eventually confronts the reality of her own stubbornness and the depth of Tom’s affection. Despite the "stings" of poverty and the "bitterness" of their previous arguments, they bridge the gap of their own making. The masks of social performance fall away, leaving the protagonists to reconcile their pride with the necessity of vulnerability.

How It Unfolds

The social stage is set The narrative introduces Montfield, a town defined by its rigid social hierarchy and the prying eyes of its residents. Patty Sanford enters this environment as a woman struggling to reconcile her own desires with the expectations placed upon her by her status-obsessed mother.

The courtship contest begins Patty is courted by the wealthy, uninteresting Clarence Toxteth, while her heart remains fixed on the reticent, impoverished lawyer Tom Putnam. Their interactions are characterized by banter that hides deep emotional wounds and a mutual inability to bridge their differences.

The theatrical catalyst The planning of a church play serves as a vehicle for the characters to reveal their true natures, anxieties, and hidden agendas. It forces interaction between unlikely parties and provides a backdrop for the gossip that keeps the town’s social gears turning.

The breakdown of communication A misunderstanding regarding a legal document and the status of Patty’s grandmother leads to a heated confrontation. Patty’s pride is deeply injured, and the resulting bitterness threatens to permanently alienate her from Tom.

The resolution of secrets As the mystery of the Mullen will is addressed, the characters are forced to confront the consequences of their pride and secrecy. Patty finally sheds her "piquant, saucy" mask, and the silence between her and Tom is broken by the realization that their misinterpretations were merely the result of their own fear of vulnerability.

The People

Patience "Patty" Sanford is the emotional heart of the story. She is intelligent and dignified, but her pride is a defensive shield. She craves understanding but is terrified of appearing vulnerable, which leads her to treat her genuine affection for Tom with ironic detachment.

Tom Putnam serves as the grounded, if somewhat opaque, counterpart to Patty. As a lawyer, he is trained to view the world through a lens of evidence and restraint. His failure to express his feelings early on—or to understand the "secrets of affection" that women in his circle value—creates the central tension of their relationship.

Mrs. Sanford is the embodiment of the social pressures Patty fights against. She is a status-seeker who views her daughter as a product to be marketed, and her interference is the primary source of the "perversities" that drive the conflict.

Clarence Toxteth is the catalyst for the novel’s external social conflict. Wealthy and somewhat dull, he represents the "safe" path that Patty’s mother demands. His presence highlights the contrast between the superficial comfort of money and the genuine, if difficult, connection Patty seeks with Tom.

In Its Own Voice

"I have heard it said," she answered, "that, as love increased, good manners decreased; but I never made such an application of it."

Patty observes the tension in her own interactions with her suitor, noting how the intensity of their feelings often leads to a breakdown in standard social grace.

"The wisdom of a man's reflections must always be beyond a woman's comprehension," he returned. "Some men have made great mistakes by forgetting this."

Tom uses a condescending, bantering tone to maintain his emotional distance and hide his true feelings behind a veil of masculine intellectual superiority.

What It's Really About

The book explores the destructive power of pride and the failure of communication in romantic relationships. It argues that social conventions and the fear of vulnerability often force individuals to act against their own happiness, creating "perversities" of behavior that serve no purpose other than to mask true feeling. It questions whether it is possible for two people, raised in a society that emphasizes status and reserve, to ever truly know one another. Ultimately, it suggests that the "noble army of martyrs"—those who refuse to be honest about their hearts—are the architects of their own loneliness, and that only through the shedding of vanity can one find genuine connection.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the biting social observations of 19th-century domestic fiction will find much to admire here. The dialogue is snappy and carries a distinct, sharp wit that prevents the narrative from becoming overly sentimental. It feels like a precursor to the more psychological studies of courtship that would dominate the next few decades of literature. You will likely feel a sense of frustration with the characters' stubbornness, but that is precisely the point; the story is a masterclass in how small-mindedness and pride can turn a potentially simple life into an unnecessary tragedy of errors.

The primary difficulty for modern readers may be the period-specific attitudes toward gender and class, which are rendered with a starkness that can feel alienating. The pacing is deliberate, favoring long, character-driven conversations over rapid plot progression, which requires a patient reader. However, the reward is an honest, unvarnished look at the internal lives of people who are trying, and often failing, to be happy within the constraints of their world. What stays with you is the realization that while the settings have changed, the fundamental human tendency to hide behind irony, to value social standing over authentic emotion, and to break the hearts of those we love in a misguided attempt to protect ourselves, remains a timeless and recognizable struggle.