Member-only story

Fellow Travelers: A Historical Novel of Love, Romance, and Politics in the Time of McCarthyism

Dawson Reed

·7.2k Followers· Follow

Published in Fellow Travelers: A Novel Thomas Mallon

6 min read

328 View Claps

36 Respond

Save

Listen

Fellow Travelers is a historical novel by Thomas Mallon that tells the story of two gay men in the 1950s who are caught up in the McCarthy era. The novel explores the themes of love, romance, and politics, and offers a unique perspective on one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.

Fellow Travelers: A Novel

by Thomas Mallon

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	710 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	370 pages

Plot Summary

The novel follows the lives of Hawkline Monroe and Timothy Laughlin, two young men who meet in Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s. Hawkline is a State Department employee, while Timothy is a journalist. The two men quickly fall in love, but their relationship is soon threatened by the McCarthy era.

In the McCarthy era, homosexuals were considered to be a threat to national security. As a result, many gay men and lesbians were fired from their jobs, blacklisted, and even imprisoned. Hawkline and Timothy are both aware of the dangers of being gay in the 1950s, but they are determined to keep their relationship a secret.

However, their secret is soon discovered by a McCarthyite investigator. Hawkline is fired from his job, and Timothy is blacklisted. The two men are forced to go into hiding, and they spend the next several years living in fear of being caught.

Themes

Fellow Travelers explores a number of themes, including love, romance, and politics. The novel also offers a unique perspective on the McCarthy era.

One of the most important themes in the novel is love. Hawkline and Timothy's love for each other is a powerful force that helps them to survive the challenges of the McCarthy era. Their love is a source of strength and comfort for them, and it helps them to keep going even when things are at their worst.

Another important theme in the novel is romance. Hawkline and Timothy's relationship is a romantic one, and it is full of love, passion, and desire. The novel explores the challenges of being gay in the 1950s, but it also celebrates the beauty and power of love.

Finally, the novel also explores the theme of politics. The McCarthy era was a time of great political turmoil, and the novel shows how this turmoil affected the lives of Hawkline and Timothy. The novel also explores the role of politics in shaping the lives of gay men and lesbians in the 1950s.

Characters

The two main characters in Fellow Travelers are Hawkline Monroe and Timothy Laughlin. Hawkline is a State Department employee who is fired from his job after his homosexuality is discovered. Timothy is a journalist who is blacklisted after he is accused of being a communist. The two men are forced to go into hiding, and they spend the next several years living in fear of being caught.

Hawkline is a complex and well-developed character. He is a man of great intelligence and ambition, but he is also deeply closeted. He is afraid of what will happen to him if his homosexuality is discovered, and he is constantly worried about being caught. However, he is also a brave and determined man, and he is willing to risk everything for his love of Timothy.

Timothy is a more idealistic character than Hawkline. He is a strong believer in justice and equality, and he is willing to fight for what he believes in. He is also a more open and honest man than Hawkline, and he is not afraid to express his love for him. However, he is also a more naive man than Hawkline, and he does not fully understand the dangers of being gay in the 1950s.

Setting

Fellow Travelers is set in Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s. The McCarthy era was a time of great political turmoil in the United States, and the novel captures the atmosphere of fear and paranoia that was prevalent at the time.

The novel also explores the role of the State Department in the McCarthy era. The State Department was one of the main targets of McCarthy's witch hunt, and many State Department employees were fired from their jobs after being accused of being communists. The novel shows how the McCarthy era affected the lives of State Department employees, and it also explores the role of the State Department in shaping American foreign policy during the Cold War.

Fellow Travelers is a powerful and moving novel that tells the story of two gay men who are caught up in the McCarthy era. The novel explores the themes of love, romance, and politics, and it offers a unique perspective on one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.

The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, gay history, or the McCarthy era. It is a powerful and moving story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Fellow Travelers: A Novel

by Thomas Mallon

4.3 out of 5