The Price of Salt

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1952

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Part 1, Chapters 6-11

Part 2, Chapters 12-17

Part 2, Chapters 18-23

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Highsmith names her novel The Price of Salt, as salt as an obsolete term for lust. Why does Highsmith use a synonym for lust? What is the role of lust in the novel, and how does it differ from and relate to love?

How does Highsmith use anti-lesbian prejudice to produce mystery in the novel? How do the era’s misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ laws frame concepts of crime in this love story?

The Price of Salt contains multiple genres, like romance and thriller. It is also a road novel. How does it compare to other novels in this genre?