Summary
The narrative architecture of The Valley of Decision commences with a phantasmagoric, allegorical overture, wherein abstract moral failings—specifically Ambition and Avarice—are personified as spectral gatekeepers haunting the human psyche. We are introduced to Arnold Gray, a crusading reformer whose existence is dedicated to the eradication of the industrial exploitation of youth. His trajectory is intercepted by Rhoda Lewis, a Machiavellian socialite whose ruthless orchestration propels him toward the gubernatorial seat. Amidst this political ascent, Arnold weds the intellectual Jane Morton, a writer of significant repute. However, the domestic sphere becomes a battlefield when an unexpected pregnancy arises. Swayed by Rhoda’s utilitarian coldness and his own burgeoning ego, Arnold views the unborn child as a political albatross, eventually coercing Jane into a decision that fractures her spirit. The ensuing psychological erosion of Jane, culminating in a tragic demise, serves as a searing indictment of vanity—until a surrealist pivot reveals the entire harrowing descent to be a subconscious warning, a fever dream of what might be sacrificed on the altar of power.
Synopsis
The story opens with an allegorical prologue, which presents various personified vices, including ambition and greed, then moves into the following drama: Arnold Gray, a fighter against child labor and other social ills, comes under the influence of Rhoda Lewis, an ambitious clubwoman who helps him win the gubernatorial nomination. Arnold meets and falls in love with Jane Morton, a respected writer, and they soon marry. All goes well until Jane becomes pregnant. Hard at work on a child-labor bill and winning the governorship, Arnold feels that a baby would be an encumbrance to his career. Jane is at first elated by her pregnancy, but Rhoda and Arnold gradually talk her out of having the baby. Because she suffers acute depression, Jane visits Dr. Brainard and confesses her troubles. Arnold is elected governor, but because Jane dies soon afterward, he no longer cares about living. After dreaming of his unborn son, Arnold awakens to find his wife beside him, joyful that his ordeal has been only a nightmare.
