Wrapping up the Article...

Having read the article and the book, I decided to ask myself the question: What does the article reveal about Cross?

The first thing I found interesting was the possibility that Cross didn’t like her school as much as Sayers did—or really at all. In the article, Cross states “When one loves a college as much as Sayers…and if one is a writer, one will write of it someday, in a novel as profound and enduring as Gaudy Night if one is talented and lucky” (255). Cross did write about a school in New York, but because she didn’t specify it or go into much detail about it at all, it’s clear that she doesn’t like the school a great deal at all—especially not anywhere near where Sayers does. Also, she doesn’t even stage the murder there or stage any action of substance there.

Another thing I learned about Cross is that she values strong women, just like Sayers. She commends Sayers for creating the character of Harriet, a woman who was “autonomous, intellectual, unwomanly, and ultimately, lovable” (258). In response, we see that Cross creates the character of Kate. She definitely seems to have some qualities of Harriet, leading me to guess that Sayers was a source of inspiration for Cross. Kate is similar to Harriet because they both feel the urge to play detective and solve the case even though neither of them are actually in this field, although Harriet is closer since she writes novels about it. Like Harriet, Kate is also lacking love in the beginning, but finds it in the end with her detective friend (Reed)—just like Harriet (Sir Peter Wimsey). In addition, like Harriet, Kate’s friends were involved in the mystery; just like the women of the SCR were suspects, so were Emmanuel and Nicola. This allowed and motivated both Harriet and Kate to pursue interests in the case and help solve it.

Judging from the article’s scholarly tone and focus on both Sayers’ love for school and theme of independent women, I think Cross valued Sayers’ views and had great respect for Sayers as well.