The Pursuit of Art

Throughout the collection, characters living in New York are consumed by the pursuit of their artistic endeavors at the same time that they are faced with the consequences of failing in that pursuit as well. Most of the characters are not originally from the city and have moved to pursue careers as writers and actors, hoping to find some semblance of success. Their journey involves large stretches of time in which they support themselves by working odd jobs, such as Jane and Stephanie working as prostitutes. They are somewhat involved in their creative fields, contributing here and there, but are mostly at the periphery and unable to make a true impact. Usually, it is difficult to keep up the effort, so they must resort to various forms of patronage, with men such as Fred and Bernard financing the artistic pursuits of the women...