"Remember me as a man who loves Raintree County,but just happens to loathe most of the people in it."

Welcome to Think Classic and post #4 for Fall of '48!

Ross Lockridge, Jr.

Born April 25, 1914

Died March 6, 1948

Ross Franklin Lockridge, Jr. was born on the twenty-fifth of April, 1914.  History notes nothing exceptional about his upbringing until his college years. He attended Indiana University, and when he graduated in the year of 1935 it was with the highest average in the history of the university.

Lockridge dabbled in creative writing and desired to produce something noteworthy--something important. He finally finished his only novel, Raintree County, and it was published in 1948.

Unfortunately, even as his career as a successful writer was just beginning to blossom, Lockridge, who suffered from severe depression, committed suicide very shortly after Raintree County's publication. He was only 33 years old, and left behind his wife and 4 children.

Raintree County

1948 novel

by Ross Lockridge, Jr.

The novel revolves around a man by the name of John Shawnessy, who resides in (fictional) Raintree County, Indiana. The story is uniquely told through reminiscings, memories, flashbacks, and dreams of John, which take place over many years and give the reader a depiction of the growth of Raintree County through westward expansion,  the Civil War and it's impacts and consequences, abolitionism, and the Labor Movement. In the beginning of the story, John is very much involved with his old high school flame, Nell Gaither. Then, a breathtakingly beautiful southern belle by the name of Susanna Drake moves into the area. Susanna seduces John and they have an affair. At the end of the summer, Susanna goes back to the south, and John attempts to return to normal and pick up where he left off with Nell, who is hurt by his previous actions but is willing to make it work, until John learns that Susanna is pregnant. John decides that the only right and honorable thing to do is marry Susanna and provide support, so he leaves Nell to go south and start his life with Susanna.

Life is much more difficult in the south. John is an outspoken, northern abolitionist, so he has a hard time finding common ground with most of the wealthy plantation owners in the area. He also learns over time that his wife had an extremely troubled past, and not only that, but that Susanna herself is mad. She confesses to John that she lied about being pregnant just so that she could ensure they would end up together. Eventually they do have a child, however. They return north and live in Raintree County just before the Civil War breaks out. As time goes on, Susanna's mental illness worsens and she begins to imagine things, becoming delusional and paranoid. She eventually runs away with their son, Jimmy, believing that she will find a safer life for them if she returns to the south. John is heartbroken and determined to find them, but traveling is dangerous those days. He therefore enlists in the Army, hoping that he can at least learn what happened to them and where they are as he travels various southern routes. After a while he finds their son, Jimmy, but he is alone. He discovers that Susanna has been taken and placed in an insane asylum. While trying to take his son to safety, John is wounded, and it leads to his discharge from the Army, which enables him to go and find Susanna. When he does, he is horrified at the conditions of the asylum and he arranges to take her home with him.

Things do not return to normal, however. John does his best to establish a safe and normal life for his family again, but Susanna is never right after that. When the political atmosphere takes a turn as the Civil War comes to a close, John begins to contemplate running for office, but he does not know for sure what he should do. He consults Nell, who is still living in Raintree County, and she is completely supportive. Susanna sees them interact and she accepts the fact that John only married her because of circumstance, and that he will always truly love Nell, even if he won't admit it. So, wishing to give them a chance at a happy life together, Susanna goes to a swamp in the middle of the night and drowns herself. Jimmy follows her, and the town frantically searches for the two of them the next day. Eventually they find Susanna's body and they discover that Jimmy is safe--alone and scared in the night, he had found solid ground under a tree and fallen asleep.

Raintree County was warmly received, and highly praised by critics. It is, to this day, considered by many to be a great, historical American novel.

A film adaptation was produced by MGM, starring Montgomery Clift as John Shawnessy, Elizabeth Taylor as Susana Drake, and Eva Marie Saint as Nell Gaither.

The film was released in 1957--almost 10 years after the publication of the novel. It was a massive and costly production--the most expensive MGM production since Gone With the Wind (1936).