History Literature / PatienceAndSarah

* HomoeroticDream: After meeting Sarah, Patience has a dream where her sister-in-law Martha is topless. In the dream, Patience places her mouth on Martha's bosom, which Martha encourages. It's implied that Patience has unknowingly been harboring feelings for Martha for several years.

* HeroesWantRedheads: Patience is described as a freckled redhead with brown eyes. Sarah is smitten by her from their first meeting.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The novel is based on a painter named Mary Ann Willson who lived with her companion Brundage in the early 19th century.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Patience mentions that at [[ChildrenAreInnocent age four]] she tried to teach her brother about how moving a certain way felt pleasurable. His shocked reaction taught her that some things shouldn't be discussed.

* RealityEnsues: Sarah tries to pretend to be a man. It only works to a degree. Everyone sees her soft, hairless face and high-pitched voice and assumes she's fourteen at oldest. This leads to multiple people trying to get her arrested because they think she's a runaway apprentice.

* BiTheWay: Parson is attracted to Sarah's male persona Sam but also has a wife back home.

* SweetOnPollyOliver: Sarah's travelling buddy Parson admits that he's attracted to "Sam". Unfortunately for him, [[IncompatibleOrientation Sarah isn't into men]]. This ends in Sarah revealing her sex. Subverted in that Parson really ''did'' love Sarah [[BiTheWay as a man]], not because he subconsciously knew she was female.

** [[spoiler:Martha]] is less horrified to find Patience in bed with another woman and more horrified that the woman -- who Patience ''was sleeping with'' -- isn't a member of Patience's family.

Patience is a well-to-do young woman who lives with her brother, his wife, and their children after her father's death. Patience is a painter who enjoys painting Biblical scenes. One day, Patience strikes a conversation with the infamous Sarah Dowling, a local woman who is considered scandalous for her masculine fashion and behavior. Sarah tells Patience that one day she wants to move away and have her own farm. Patience doesn't believe that's possible but decides to fancy Sarah's imagination. Sarah later admits that she's attracted to Patience, and Patience admits the same. This will eventually lead into the two running off together.

* AbusiveParents: Sarah's parents are usually loving and laidback however, upon finding out that Sarah is in love with Patience, Sarah's father beats her up and then drags her to Patience's home to find out the nature of their relationship. Fo several day in a row, whenever Sarah tries visit Patience afterwards, her father would try to beat her into submitting to his will (though he doesn't consider them serious beatings because they "only" result in bruising). It doesn't work. Sarah doesn't look down upon her father for his behavior but it does tarnish their formerly pleasant bond.

* FireIsRed: Discussed and subverted. While painting, Patience notices that fire is not purely red. It's yellow, orange, blue, and a variety of other colours depending on its intensity. Martha refuses to acknowledge that fires aren't red.

* {{Gayngst}}: Subverted. Despite the 1816 setting, neither Patience or Sarah are ashamed of their attraction for one another. It's other's reactions to their relationship that worries them. Later in the book it's revealed that Patience doesn't even know that the Bible has verses that are often read as homophobic. Even after learning this, she still doesn't angst about herself.

* HomophobicHateCrime: Sarah's father beats her up several days in a row in an attempt at stopping her from seeing Patience anymore. It doesn't work. Eventually, he decides to ignore their relationship and pretend that they're just friends.

* RaisedAsTheOppositeGender: Since age nine, Sarah's been raised as if she was a boy. Her dad only had daughters and wanted a surrogate son, so he decided to raise his tallest daughter like a son. Sarah even often refers to herself as a "boy".

* CureYourGays: Subverted. Patience's brother Edward asks if she's tried to pray for her feelings to go away, but Patience notes she doesn't want to be "freed" of her feelings for Sarah, She's instead prayed to be "fulfilled in it".

* FireIsRed: Discussed and subverted. While painting, Patience notices that fire is not purely red. It's yellow, orange, blue, and a variety of colours depending on its intensity. Martha refuses to acknowledge that fires aren't red.

* {{Gayngst}}: Averted. Despite the 1816 setting, neither Patience or Sarah are ashamed of their attraction for one another. It's other's reactions to their relationship that worries them. Later in the book it's revealed that Patience doesn't even know that the Bible has verses that are often read as homophobic. Even after learning this, she still doesn't angst about herself.

* HeroesLoveRedheads: Patience is described as a freckled redhead with brown eyes. Sarah is smitten by her from their first meeting.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: The story is set in 1810s Connecticut and it shows. Though the characters don't agree with it, slavery exists (though the main black character is explicitly a worker and not a slave). Women are expected to be either timid home-makers or teachers if they "selfishly" refuse to marry. DomesticAbuse is ignored.

* AbusiveParents: Sarah's parents are usually loving and laidback however, upon finding out that Sarah is in love with Patience, Sarah's father beats her up and then drags her to Patience's home to find out the nature of their relationship. Fo several day in a row, whenever Sarah tries tvisit Patience afterwards, her father would try to beat her into submitting to his will.

* {{Gayngst}}: Averted. Despite the 1816 setting, neither Patience or Sarah are ashamed of their attraction for one another. It's other's reactions to their relationship that worries them.

** It's implied that Patience has been in love with her sister-in-law Martha since they met, however Martha is straight and fell for her brother instead.

* IHaveBrothers: Sarah's father raised her similarly to a son because he only has daughters.
* RaisedAsTheOppositeGender: Since age nine, Sarah's been raised as if she was a boy. Her dad only had daughters so he decided to raise his tallest daughter like a son. Sarah even often refers to herself as a "boy".

* SweetOnPollyOliver: Sarah's travelling buddy admits that he's attracted to "Sam". Unfortunately for him, [[IncompatibleOrientation Sarah isn't into men]]. This ends in Sarah revealing her sex.

* AbusiveParents: Sarah's parents are usually loving and laidback however, upon finding out that Sarah is in love with Patience, Sarah's father beats her up and then drags her to Patience's home to find out the nature of their relationship.

''Patience and Sarah'' is a 1969 novel by Alma Routsong, published under the pen name Isabel Miller. It was originally self-published under the title ''A Place For Us'', but after finding a publisher it was renamed ''Patience and Sarah'' in 1971.

''Patience and Sarah'' tells the story of two Connecticut women in 1816 named Patience White and Sarah Dowlin. They fall in love, leave their homes together to buy a farm, and live in a "Boston marriage".

* AbusiveParents: Upon finding out that Sarah wants to run off alone with Patience, Sarah's father beats her up and then drags her to Patience's home to find out the nature of their relationship.
* ButchLesbian: Sarah wears [[{{Crossdresser}} men's clothes]] and does "men's work" in the strict early 1800s.

* SweetPollyOliver: After being beaten up by her dad, Sarah runs away. She cuts off her hair and begins passing as "Sam".

* {{Tomboy}}: Sarah's father raised her this way because he has no sons.

* LooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The novel is based on a painter named Mary Ann Willson who lived with her companion Brundage in the early 19th century.

* {{Tomboy}}: Sarah's father raised her this way because he has no sons.