Summary
In an era obsessed with the categorization of the human spirit, 'The Average Woman' presents a fascinating sociological experiment masquerading as a romantic melodrama. Jimmy Munroe, an ambitious journalist driven by the hubris of the Fourth Estate, embarks on a quixotic quest to isolate the essence of the 'average' female specimen for a definitive article. His search culminates in the hallowed, hushed corridors of a public library, where he encounters Sally Whipple. Viewing her initially as a mere data point, Munroe initiates a surreptitious surveillance of her life, a process that inevitably dissolves his professional detachment into the fervor of genuine affection. However, their burgeoning courtship is violently disrupted by the archaic patriarchal authority of Judge Whipple, Sally’s father, who views the reporter as a social interloper. The Judge’s legalistic maneuvers—culminating in Jimmy’s incarceration and a draconian visitation schedule—create a vacuum filled by the predatory Van Alten. This unscrupulous financier attempts to coerce Sally into a matrimonial contract through the weaponization of scandalous correspondence, threatening to dismantle her father’s reputation. The narrative thus transforms from a whimsical study of social norms into a high-stakes battle against extortion and the rigid structures of 1920s morality.
Synopsis
Reporter Jimmy Munroe is writing an article on "the average woman". He meets Sally Whipple in the library and chooses her as a likely subject, following her around to gather material for his article, and eventually falls in love with her. Her father, Judge Whipple, doesn't like it; he has Jimmy arrested and allows him to see Sally only once a week. Meanwhile, disreputable businessman Van Alten is after Sally, and tries to pressure her into marrying him by threatening to release letters he says will embarrass her father.
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