The development of the affair between Pauline and Levin is the one of the primary sources of tension in A New Life. In examining the significant differences in this development, we noticed shifts in the way Levin shared information with Pauline, the speed at which affection developed between the two and the shift of power between Levin and Gilley. In many cases, Pauline becomes more autonomous in the published version than she is in the manuscript. Levin's release of information and interest in Pauline develop slower over the course of the published novel, although there is a greater sense of intimacy that becomes apparent earlier in the manuscript version. The following are selections we found particularly revealing in terms of information exchange and omitted information. Overall, the amount of information exchanged remains fairly consistent between editions, but the content and tone in which it is expressed changes significantly. The selections take place entirely in chapter seven, around the initiation of Levin and Pauline's affair, and are organized in chronological order.

 

Sample Analysis:

 

In both versions of A New Life, this scene takes place shortly after Levin and Pauline begin their affair. The first significant difference is in how Pauline refers to herself. In the manuscript, she labels herself as Gilley's wife. This possessive emphasizes the connection Pauline feels to her husband and suggests that she feels she is, in a sense, his possession. It also reminds the reader that Levin is engaging in an affair with a married woman in a very direct way; she belongs to someone else. In the published version, Pauline's reference to herself as "Mrs. Gilley" implies a more autonomous self-image. The use of Gilley's surname preserves that reminder of danger for Levin as a result of their actions, but it is subtler and allows Pauline to exist as her own entity outside of Gilley. The change from "I respect you very much" to "I respect you, Pauline," further enforces this view of Pauline and implies Levin's affirmation of her autonomy. Additionally, in the manuscript version, Levin confirms that he respects her as Gilley's wife and then again as the "mother of two," while the published version has Levin confirm his respect for Pauline as "Mrs. Gilley, mother of two," all in one line. This implies that, though Pauline affirms her own autonomy, she identifies herself in relation to her children rather than her husband. This strengthens Pauline's investment in getting custody of her children from Gilley in the final scenes of the novel and Levin's confirmation of respect for Pauline as a wife and mother foreshadows the vital role he plays in securing Pauline's children.

Malamud has also removed Pauline granting Levin permission to kiss her hand and replaced it with "they kissed." This suggests that the two are equals in the affair rather than portraying one character as having more power in the scene. The removal of the formal permission from Pauline also fosters a deeper sense of intimacy between the two characters and gives the scene a greater sense of verisimilitude.

Perhaps even more significantly, in the second half of the exchange, Malamud has removed Levin's explicit statement of his Jewish faith from the novel, indicating a shift to a focus in secular humanism. In the published version, this information comes near the end of the novel and the significance is primarily acknowledged when Levin says, "So I was chosen" (p. 361). In the manuscript, the explicit statement gives readers (and Pauline) a chance to measure Levin against his own assessment of himself as a self-proclaimed humanist; not only is he Jewish, but he sees such a strong link between Judaism and humanism that he uses his religious affiliation as a means to explain himself to others. Furthermore, the fact that he shares this information with Pauline is an outward expression of his trust in her, further reflected by her desire for her to "know him." In the published version, Pauline functions as the primary solicitor of information and her motivation to "know everything about [Levin]" becomes the foundation on which their relationship is ultimately built. Levin's initial desire to withhold information also allows the revelation of his past to Pauline a few pages later to have a bigger impact in contrast. This revelation is largely absent in the manuscript, except for Levin's brief reference to his alcoholic father and an even shorter reference to his own drinking problems. In a way, Levin reveals the same qualitative amount of information between editions, but his focus shifts from the way his faith influences his sense of self to the way his past has brought him to where he is. It is possible that Malamud chose one form of information over the other to draw reader attention back to the theme of starting over (as is inherent in the title, "A New Life"), or perhaps it illustrates a significant difference in Levin's character between editions. His focus on his past supports the view of Levin as a broken man seeking (and perhaps, with Pauline's help, achieving) renewal while his focus on his faith implies that he has more confidence in his own self-efficacy. The shift from "I've had my share" to "I've had my bad times," further supports that Levin is still deeply impacted by his past and further reflects a shift to secular humanism where there is a greater focus on consequentialist ethics.