Tracing Catholic References in the works of Mary McCarthy

Abstract

Mary McCarthy is usually called a novelist of manners, rather than a philosophical writer, she found worthy in Catholicism and not needed the rest; however, she was unable to reject the most important influence since her moral perceptions and everyday actions were guided by her Catholic heritage. And in her strong sense of morality, of punishment, of self-criticism, McCarthy’s sensibilities are clearly influenced by Jansenistic, Irish-American Catholicism. Although McCarthy does not reveal any secrets about the Church, she is known for speaking about the previously unspeakable. Even in her novels where she seems to speak out on political views, the substance of the political thought is replaced by her moral views.