Stuff I need to look up/ talking to myself

[moon_custafer]

Mail delivery/pickup in small-town, post-war America - once or twice daily? Would the same guy handle both? Would an assignment arriving by mail from a modeling agency include a stamped postcard so you could sent your acknowledgement? Payment in advance? (I suspect not) and by money-order or cheque? Hm, if it were by check they could pull the trick of printing a contract on the back so that you'd *have* to sign said contract in order to cash the cheque. Ok, if I say that's how Etheline's agency works that'll be an excuse to let her have the money up front (otherwise she'll collapse from hunger before she gets to the next scene.)

Also, packaged foods, same period - some kind of snack she could have bought at the local grocery on the miniscule amount of money left in her purse to tide her over while she waits for the mail - packet of peanuts? box of animal crackers?

Lastly - need to learn the ropes; literally, I need to know about different kinds of rope.

ETA - googling "cost of a box of crackers, 1950s" gets you the prices people are currently charging on eBay for cracker boxes *dating from* the '50s. However, someone writing about inflation claimed that a box of Ritz crackers cost thirty-two cents in 1950. In light of this, I've gone back and lowered the contents of Etheline's purse to seventy-seven cents; two dollars and change was far too lavish.

Comments

[leave-harmony.livejournal.com]

Didn't Esther buy a bunch of bags of peanuts in The Bell Jar? When was that written...I can't remember if she states a price, only that she burns through all of her New York savings on bus trips and bags of peanuts, etc.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

A bag of peanuts gets mentioned in Citizen Kane, too - I know they were available, but suspect they may have been an urban street thing rather than a small-town grocery-store thing. Guess I'll go for a box of crackers instead.

Meanwhile, I noticed a major plot hole as I was falling asleep last night, and need to rethink some things.

[leave-harmony.livejournal.com]

Oh hey, here it is. Page 131, a ten cent bag of peanuts.
*pause* I dunno how helpful that is, I just knew she bought peanuts at some point. Lol.