Peyton Place

Dr. Matthew Swain is an important character in the novel; he is the town doctor and a highly respected member of the Peyton Place community. Dr. Swain is wealthy and extremely dedicated to his career, and he takes his job of helping people very seriously. Dr. Swain is also notable for his relatively egalitarian views even though he is wealthy; he treats the poorer residents of the town with care and respect. Dr. Swain is implicated in the novel’s central conflict because Selena Cross confides in him when she is pregnant and admits that her stepfather has been sexually abusing her. Dr. Swain demonstrates his integrity while struggling with a moral conflict: He performs an abortion in order to protect Selena, and later admits to this act (which was illegal) in order to persuade the jury to acquit Selena of murder. Dr. Swain holds strong ethical principles, rooted in his Christian faith, but he is also able to contextualize these principles and make nuanced decisions in ambiguous circumstances. Dr. Swain remains a constant and consistent character throughout the novel, and his presence and principles are a stabilizing force within the Peyton Place community.

Selena Cross is one of the prominent characters in the novel; she is 13 when the narrative begins and a young woman of 21 when the novel ends. Selena’s experiences drive the central conflict of the plot: She is sexually abused by her stepfather and becomes pregnant when she is a teenager. When Lucas confronts her later, Selena kills him, and she is eventually put on trial for murder. Selena is quiet but resilient; despite the abuse and poverty she endures while growing up, she maintains a sense of hope for her future. Both when she seeks out an abortion and when she kills Lucas, Selena prioritizes her survival and bodily autonomy, taking significant risks in order to preserve them. Selena is also hard-working and conscientious; she earns the trust and respect of Constance, leading to a successful career managing Constance’s shop. Selena’s character remains relatively constant throughout the novel, even though she endures terrible and traumatic events. After the trial, Selena chooses to stay in Peyton Place, even though many people gossip and shun her; there is also the implication that she may find a new romantic partner after Ted Carter abandons her. Selena exemplifies a character who makes the best of the choices available to her and never gives up on building a better future for herself.

Constance MacKenzie is an important character; she is Allison’s mother, and her own romantic and sexual awakening as a grown woman mirrors the maturation of Allison and Selena as adolescent girls. For most of the novel, Constance hides a secret: She gave birth to her daughter out of wedlock, as a result of an affair with a married man. In order to maintain social propriety, Constance pretends to be a widow; she also cuts herself off from any sexual or romantic experiences. She presents as a very elegant and aloof woman, but she often feels lonely and isolated; she is also unable to truly bond with her daughter, because Constance is obsessed with keeping secrets and policing any hint of sexual behavior.

Constance changes significantly over the course of the novel, especially as a result of her relationship with Tom Makris, whom she eventually marries. Tom quickly awakens Constance’s repressed desires and pursues her aggressively. Constance submits unwillingly at first because she cannot take ownership of her own desires, but she comes to enjoy the openness and vulnerability of her relationship with Tom. Tom also helps Constance to finally stop feeling ashamed and forgive herself: When he learns that she gave birth out of wedlock, he does not judge her, and instead praises her for finally being honest with him and Allison. Because Tom is so open and non-judgmental, Constance can finally break free of her shame and self-loathing.

Tomas Makris is a teacher from New York who moves to Peyton Place to work at the local school. He is a well-educated and cosmopolitan man who has enjoyed living different places and experiencing different ways of life. Tom is pragmatic and frank about sexuality; he desires Constance as soon as he meets her, and he pursues her despite her reluctance. Tom also prompts Constance to have less rigid views about sexuality and morality, which is ultimately helpful to her. Tom ends up being a loving husband and caring stepfather, and he introduces a much healthier dynamic to the relationship between Allison and Constance.

Norman Page is one of the classmates of Allison and Selena; he is a small and somewhat frail boy who is often called “little Norman Page.” Norman lives with his mother, Evelyn, who is overbearing and somewhat obsessive about her son. Norman and Allison become good friends because they are both sensitive and intellectual; however, Norman is uncomfortable with Allison’s desire for them to explore their sexuality together. Norman eventually enlists to fight in World War II and ends up having a nervous breakdown; when he returns to Peyton Place, his mother claims that he was injured, and Norman is welcomed as a war hero. Norman’s evolution and maturation are stifled by his overbearing mother, and their quasi-incestuous relationship. He ends up unable to experience normal growth and development, and he presumably will be trapped in Peyton Place for the future.

Lucas Cross is a working-class man who lives in the shacks on the outskirts of Peyton Place; he is physically abusive towards his wife and children, and he also sexually abuses his stepdaughter, Selena. Lucas is unrepentant about this abuse when Dr. Swain confronts him, rationalizing that “I seen her one day, and I seen she was almost grown” (159). Lucas is a selfish and callous man who cannot see the consequences of his terrible actions for others. He does not show any development or repentance; in fact, Selena lashes out and kills him after he threatens to start abusing her again. While Lucas has had a hard life with few opportunities and little education, he acts in terrible and harmful ways. Most characters view his death as a good thing, and no one mourns for him.

Nellie Cross is the mother of Selena and Joey, and the wife of Lucas Cross. She is worn down by decades of hard work, poverty, and abuse at the hands of her husband. Nellie is shrewd and worldly in some ways, but she remains (possibly intentionally) ignorant of the abuse Lucas is inflicting on Selena. Nellie’s mental state deteriorates significantly when she learns that Selena has been abused, and she begins to hallucinate. Nellie’s character does not develop or change; rather, she is crushed by the suffering and obstacles she encounters. Her character arc reveals the lack of agency women could experience at this time, especially when compounded with a lack of education and financial resources.

Rodney Harrington is a classmate from the same grade as Allison, Selena, and Norman. He is the only son of a wealthy and powerful man and is given a great deal of privilege and freedom. As a result, Rodney is self-centered and reckless, and does not consider consequences for anyone else when he acts. Rodney is very attracted to Betty Anderson (who comes from a working-class family), but he also carelessly discards her after he gets her pregnant. Rodney eventually dies in a car accident that results from groping a young woman while driving; this conclusion shows the lack of development in his character, and the consequences of his reckless pursuit of self-gratification.