Soledad O'Brien

But when it came time for college, Mary did follow in her mother's footsteps and went to Vassar. She daydreamed about studying to become a doctor. But the truth is, that's not really why Mary went to college. Here's historian Alexis Coe.

But when it came time for college, Mary did follow in her mother's footsteps and went to Vassar. She daydreamed about studying to become a doctor. But the truth is, that's not really why Mary went to college. Here's historian Alexis Coe.

Vassar women were divided into two camps, career types and those who got hitched and had children. But Mary was also hard to categorize. One famous classmate, Scotty Fitzgerald, daughter to F. Scott, called her an independent soul and even compared her to a fawn. Maybe the best way to put it was she was one of a kind, not one to care what other people thought.

Vassar women were divided into two camps, career types and those who got hitched and had children. But Mary was also hard to categorize. One famous classmate, Scotty Fitzgerald, daughter to F. Scott, called her an independent soul and even compared her to a fawn. Maybe the best way to put it was she was one of a kind, not one to care what other people thought.

Vassar classmate Frances Field told Nina Burley as much. She remembers an incident during finals time their senior year. The study room was dead quiet. Stress was high. Mary got up to use the bathroom. But before she left, she paused by a vase, bent down, and took a bite out of a tulip. Mary chewed her mouthful without saying a thing.

Vassar classmate Frances Field told Nina Burley as much. She remembers an incident during finals time their senior year. The study room was dead quiet. Stress was high. Mary got up to use the bathroom. But before she left, she paused by a vase, bent down, and took a bite out of a tulip. Mary chewed her mouthful without saying a thing.

Like her mother, Mary was also a writer. She published a short story in the Vassar Review in 1941. It was called Futility. And the window it provides into Mary's mind?

Like her mother, Mary was also a writer. She published a short story in the Vassar Review in 1941. It was called Futility. And the window it provides into Mary's mind?

That's author Ron Rosenbaum. Mary's story revolves around a young woman named Ruth, who's something of an outsider.

That's author Ron Rosenbaum. Mary's story revolves around a young woman named Ruth, who's something of an outsider.

Ruth is at a cocktail party, and the room is almost grotesquely decorated. Expensive but gauche, silver wallpaper, a shiny mantle with a fish tank above it. Inside are overfed goldfish. Here's an excerpt from Mary's story.

Ruth is at a cocktail party, and the room is almost grotesquely decorated. Expensive but gauche, silver wallpaper, a shiny mantle with a fish tank above it. Inside are overfed goldfish. Here's an excerpt from Mary's story.

Ruth isn't impressed by any of these trappings. She tells the host she's leaving. She can't make her excuses quickly enough.

Ruth isn't impressed by any of these trappings. She tells the host she's leaving. She can't make her excuses quickly enough.

Ruth is leaving because she has a plan. She's going to get surgery, elective surgery. Surgeons will switch Ruth's nerves, so her optical nerves are connected to her hearing, and her hearing to her eyes. Everything she sees, she'll hear, and everything she hears, she'll see. It doesn't exactly make sense, but that is the point. Mary's heroine craves the unconventional, the weird.

Ruth is leaving because she has a plan. She's going to get surgery, elective surgery. Surgeons will switch Ruth's nerves, so her optical nerves are connected to her hearing, and her hearing to her eyes. Everything she sees, she'll hear, and everything she hears, she'll see. It doesn't exactly make sense, but that is the point. Mary's heroine craves the unconventional, the weird.

Or, as Ruth says as she leaves the party, It will all be different tomorrow.

Or, as Ruth says as she leaves the party, It will all be different tomorrow.

Ruth wants to cure her boredom through radical change. Did Mary want that too? Her heroine was willing to do whatever it took. Here's Ron Rosenbaum again.

Ruth wants to cure her boredom through radical change. Did Mary want that too? Her heroine was willing to do whatever it took. Here's Ron Rosenbaum again.