Jessie Orcutt Character Analysis

Jessie Orcutt is the Levovs’ neighbor in Old Rimrock. She is married to Bill Orcutt, with whom she has several children. Jessie is a Philadelphia heiress who grew up with countless privileges. When the Levovs first moved to Old Rimrock, she was an clear-headed, energetic woman, but by 1973, her health and vitality have deteriorated due to her alcoholism. The narration portrays her as a simultaneously tragic and pathetic character, emphasizing the deep pain and sadness that exacerbate her alcoholism while also suggesting that she has squandered her wealth and privilege. At the dinner party sequence that comprises the final section of the novel, Lou Levov comforts a very drunk Jessie as she weeps, encouraging her to eat something and try to get her drinking under control for the sake of herself and her family. The novel ends with a shocking scene in which Jessie, whom Lou has been feeding bites of strawberry-rhubarb pie, takes Lou’s fork and tries to stab him in the eye. Jessie’s seemingly random act of violence symbolizes the collapse of previously agreed-upon social norms and reflects the feeling of instability and uncertainty that shaped the American ethos at this pivotal point in history.