Till Summer Do Us Part

Scottie Price is the main female character and begins as a woman in transition, having recently moved to New York, gone through a divorce, and is desperate to prove she can succeed in a big city on her own. When she begins her new job in a male-dominated office, she feels immediately out of place because she’s the only woman, and because her colleagues bond over their marriages and families, leaving her feeling isolated and inadequate. This environment triggers her insecurity and leads her to lie, claiming she has a husband. Her decision to fabricate a personal life to gain workplace approval reflects the toxic pressure women often feel to conform, perform, and minimize differences to be taken seriously. The lie snowballs into a full-blown charade, sending her to a relationship retreat with her best friend’s brother. At Camp Haven, Wilder sees firsthand how much Scottie desires acceptance from her coworkers. He observes, “[…] listening to her is fascinating, because the way she speaks is different from the way she presents herself” (130). Through the comedy and chaos of their therapy sessions, Wilder discovers Scottie has been deeply hurt and is trying to rebuild her sense of self-worth.