Gwendolyn Brooks was known mostly for her poetry, particularly her first collection from 1945, A Street in Bronzeville, and the 1949 collection Annie Allen, for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. “Maud Martha and New York” is a short prose piece, sometimes excerpted as a short story, about a young woman who’s obsessed with leaving Chicago and going to New York. After the summary, there’s a section that puts the story into context.
“Maud Martha and New York” Summary
For Maud Martha, the name “New York” glitters like the silver behind a shop window in Chicago. It’s real but out-of-reach for now. When a train goes by, she imagines the passengers are headed there. She sees herself riding with them, leaving behind the country and small-town folks who would never go to New York.
Maud Martha loves reading about New York in her magazines—the interesting people, lifestyle, and beautifully furnished homes. There are pictures and advertisements for expensive plates, figurines, trendy clothes, and fancy food.
Downtown, Maud Martha buys the New York papers. She reads about the cultural and social scenes. She likes the sound of New York landmarks, like “Fifth Avenue”. She imagines herself there, fashionably dressed and getting out of a taxi near the theaters and shops.
New York is a symbol for how life should be—polished, poised and pleasantly busy.
Maud Martha thinks of people visiting someone for the afternoon. They have coffee or tea with cake. The people are dignified and happy in a well-appointed home. The conversation is pleasant and gentle as they discuss current events. Leaving the host’s home with elegance, the guests return to their own homes, which are just as comfortable and dignified.
What Maud Martha dreams about is her own business. Who can say it won’t ever come true, at least partly? She’s only eighteen and the world is waiting to caress her.
(End of “Maud Martha and New York” Summary)
“Maud Martha and New York” Context
“Maud Martha and New York” is one of the chapters from the short novel Maud Martha. The novel is composed of 34 vignettes or sketches that chronicle the life of the title character, from the late 1920s as a young African American girl to the mid 1940s as a married mother. Themes of class and race recur as Maud navigates life.
Maud likes reading. Her family is barely getting by financially. Her older sister, Helen, is lighter-skinned and is favored by the family, except by her mother, who treats her children equally. Maud dreams of a more lavish life. She eventually marries a young man who promises her this kind of life, but there are many disappointments. They have a daughter, and she works as a maid for a while.
I hope this summary of “Maud Martha and New York” and a quick look at its context was helpful.