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=                          The_Plastic_Age                           =
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                            Introduction
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'The Plastic Age' is a 1924 novel by Percy Marks that tells the story
of Hugh Carver, a student at a fictional men's college called Sanford.
With contents that covered or implied hazing, smoking, drinking,
partying, and heavy petting, the book was the second best-selling
novel of 1924. It was banned in Boston.  The following year, it was
adapted into a film of the same name, starring Clara Bow.

Marks was an English instructor at Brown University at the time of
publication. Previously he taught at Dartmouth College and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Brown's administration took
offense at the book, which they perceived to be a barely disguised
version of Brown, and Marks's teaching contract was not renewed. 'The
Plastic Age' provides a composite image of 1920s campus life with many
references to campus traditions at Dartmouth and Brown including
bonfires, beanies, and fraternity rushing. The novel is notable for
its depiction of students attending a film, a lightly fictionalized
representation of the Nugget Theater in Hanover, NH which had opened
in 1916. Marks and his book remained popular on college campuses for
several years after the book's publication. Students--including
humorist S. J. Perelman--protested his release and a satire of the
book, titled, "The Plastered Age," by E.Z. Mark, was produced on
campus; but to no avail. Marks left academia for many years and
devoted his time to writing books.

In 1928, under the title 'Red Lips', the novel was again adapted into
a film. This remake starred Charles "Buddy" Rogers, who had just
co-starred with Clara Bow in a different film, 'Wings', the previous
year.

'The Plastic Age' was reprinted in 1980, in a series subtitled "Lost
American Fiction," from Southern Illinois University Press and
continues to be available in book form from other sources.


                             Characters
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*Hugh Carver--protagonist, lives in Merrytown, undergraduate at
Haydensville's Sanford College, runner, musician, aspiring writer;
described as slender, young-looking, with light-brown hair
*Helen Simpson--lives in Merrytown, girlfriend to Hugh, moves away to
attend secretarial school
*Janet (Harton) Moffitt--lives at Corley Lake, girlfriend to Hugh
(briefly)
*Cynthia Day--lives in Long Island, girlfriend to Hugh, described as
running with a "fast crowd" though not explicitly described as a
"flapper"
*Carl Peters--undergraduate, roommate to Hugh, forced to leave Sanford
after contracting an STD in Hastings
*Norville "Norry" Parker--undergraduate, friend of Cynthia and Hugh,
Irish Catholic, lives on Long Island Sound, described as slender,
quietly affluent, summer host to Hugh
*Malcolm Graham--undergraduate, president of Delta Sigma Deltas,
attempted mentor to Hugh
*Einstein--undergraduate, friend of Hugh, Jewish
*Merle Douglas, Bob Tucker, Leonard Gates, John "Jack"
Lawrence--undergraduates, Nu Delta presidents
*Jim "Mac" McCarty--proprietor of the Haydensville billiard parlor
*Hester Sheville--(inebriated) guest at Nu Delta dance
*Jim Pearson--undergraduate, drives Hugh and Carl to Hastings
bootlegger
*Paul Vinton--undergraduate, roommate to Hugh, regularly plies Hugh
with liquor
*Bessie Haines, Emma Gleeson--Hastings prostitutes
*Ted Allen--undergraduate, gambling proprietor (poker and craps), card
shark, hustler, presumed cheat
*Harry King--undergraduate, weapon-owner
*President Culver--Sanford College President
*Professor Jimmie Henley--Sanford College English Professor, mentor to
Hugh
*Professor Hartley--Sanford College History Professor
*Mr. Alling--Sanford College Latin Instructor
*Professor Kane--Sanford College Mathematics Professor, academic
advisor to Hugh
*Professor Blake--Sanford College Professor
*"Doc" Conners--Sanford College Physician
*Jack Price--Sanford College Football Coach
*Harry Slade--undergraduate, captain of the football team, half-back
*Sherman Walford--undergraduate, captain of the football team
*Herbert Morse--undergraduate, described as noble-looking, removed
from the football team, withdrew due to home-sickness
*Wayne Gifford--undergraduate, cheerleader
*Clem Morton, Hubert Manning, Jack Collings, Jim Hicks, Harry
Smithson, Chubby Elson, Donald Ferguson, Ferdy Hillman, Freddy
Dickson, Freddy Fowler, George Winsor, Gordon Ross, Jim Saunders,
Keith Nutter, Larry Stillwell, Melville Burbank, Merton Billings,
Puddy McCumber, Pudge Jamieson--undergraduates


                           External links
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*
* [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16532 'The Plastic Age'] full text
at Project Gutenberg
*
[https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Plastic-Age-Audiobook/B09111BZHC?qid=1618123571&sr=1-197&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_10_17&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=BJ8TSDMF829XBPXT2PPX
'The Plastic Age' audio book], narrated by Scott Cluthe, published by
Spoken Realms.
*


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Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plastic_Age