Thoughts on the Substacker's Vanity Fair article that "broke the story on Cormac McCarthy's secret muse"
I kind of liked reading Vincenzo Barney's Vanity Fair article "Cormac McCarthy’s Secret Muse Breaks Her Silence After Half a Century: 'I Loved Him. He Was My Safety'", mostly because it was kind of about Cormac McCarthy’s works. But it was pretty much a letdown.
The opening hits like we're about to learn some groundbreaking details about the author: "When he was 42, Cormac McCarthy fell in love with a 16-year-old girl he met by a motel pool. Augusta Britt would go on to become one of the most significant—and secret—inspirations in literary history, giving life to many of McCarthy’s most iconic characters across his celebrated novels and Hollywood films. For 47 years, Britt closely guarded her identity and her story. Until now."
Vanity Fair's second-most-read story of 2024 reads more like a writer's attempt to publish a McCarthy-esgue piece with little to offer. It falls very short (though it’s very long), seemingly only telling us McCarthy readers two notable things (and one is not that Britt was a “muse”):
McCarthy fell in love with a teenager when he was in his 40s, and their relationship continued until the day he died. Sure, this is big news regarding the personal life of the author, but it doesn’t equal “muse.”
McCarthy–a writer whose works are filled with guns and horses–didn't ride or shoot. For me, this understated side note in the article is quite significant for readers and writers.
The Border Trilogy gave me a view an author as some cowboy in tune with horses, while No Country of Old Men hints at an author who is maybe a member of the NRA and is armed to the teeth. Britt tells us otherwise. Barney asked Britt, “Did Cormac ever ride?” She replied, "No, he never did." He also asked, "Did Cormac ever shoot?” She said, “No, not that I ever saw."
The big attempted goal or claim of the article focuses on Britt as "muse." By the time the article ended, I never wanted to see that word used again (and I now even wonder what that word means). I don't see the connections that are being made, and "muse" seems like a big stretch for a love interest who inspired some parts of some of McCarthy’s works. After all, how many other people and personal moments worked their way into his stories? And the same can be said for any prolific author, I imagine.
I don't understand how Britt could see herself so clearly in these characters. How could she see herself as so many varying characters and conclude that McCarthy was writing her into books, and then killing her off? Sure, there are some similarities in traits, quotes, moments, and skills based on the close relationship he had with her; but could it be that McCarthy's works are packed full of inspiration from all kinds of people he met and relationships he had?
Other than an allegedly stolen gun (even Blevins' story is suspect and unclear), how is Britt supposed to be the character Blevins (or Blevins Britt)? Other than a love for horses, how is John Grady Cole her? Other than being a woman, how is she seeing herself as Alicia Western? It’s unclear how a gun-slinging, horse owner in Arizona can so easily be linked to a schizophrenic, brilliant mathematician who loves her brother (The Passenger and Stella Maris). For all the words in the Vanity Fair article, we actually learn very little about Britt and few connections of substance are established.
The connections made are loose, small, and vague. Quotes from a few works, references to a few scenes, and nebulous writing about scenery and weather add up to leave me asking, "What was the point of that article?" Maybe it’s just a good story about Britt that is wrongfully marketed as an article about Cormac McCarthy.
There's no doubt that Britt was very close to McCarthy–she's in his will and letters. Of course, I don't doubt her relationship with or her love for McCarthy. What I'm looking for, though, is how all this really connects with some substance to the author's canon.
If you're looking for an article about someone who knew Cormac McCarthy, check it out. If you're looking to learn about a "secret muse," I think you'll be let down.