The Triangle
The Triangle, by Nathanael West, is a story about a young girl named Sondra, newly married to a man she has never met, who is the superintendent in an apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Sondra is desperate to escape her mundane life as a seamstress in a garment factory, and her husband-to-be, Wolf, promises a better life. However, as Sondra slowly reveals more about her past and her new life in the triangle, it becomes apparent that not only is Wolf not who he claims to be, but that everything in the triangle is not quite what it seems.
Chapter One
In the first chapter, Sondra is introduced to readers and her life is revealed in snippets throughout the chapter. Sondra’s parents are newly impoverished, and she knows that her marriage is her only way out. She meets Wolf, and decides to marry him without even knowing his full identity. He tells her that his real identity must stay hidden, something that goes against Sondra’s grain of honesty and morality. Before they are married, Wolf moves Sondra in to the Triangle, and she quickly befriends two old Jewish women, Mrs. Lev and Mrs. Birnbaum, who both live in the building.
Chapter Two
Chapter two gives readers a look at the daily life in the Triangle. Sondra begins to learn more about her new husband, Wolf, and she is surprised by both his lack of honesty and his decadent taste. She is also surprised by the mysterious happenings within the building, as she hears stories of people suddenly disappearing and strange visitors constantly entering and leaving. Mrs. Lev and Mrs. Birnbaum take Sondra under their wing and show her the secrets of the Triangle, introducing her to its eccentric inhabitants.
Chapter Three
In chapter three, Sondra finally discovers the truth about her new life in the Triangle. She learns the truth about Mrs. Lev and Mrs. Birnbaum, discovers that the Triangle is actually a string of low-rent apartments being exploited by Wolf to make easy money, and finds out that her husband is really a pimp. Although Sondra is shocked at the truth, she is also outraged that she has been subject to such deception and exploitation. The chapter closes with Sondra standing up to Wolf and demanding to be set free.
Chapter Four
In the fourth chapter, readers are presented with a resolution to the story. While Sondra is still heartbroken over Wolf’s deception, she finds comfort in the friendship she has formed with Mrs. Lev and Mrs. Birnbaum. In the end, Sondra is able to find new employment and make a new life for herself in the triangle away from Wolf. Sondra eventually finds love again, and is finally able to realize all of her dreams of a better life. The story closes with Sondra taking control of her own destiny and leaving the Triangle as a much stronger and wiser person.
