Doris Lessing's Short Stories: A Woman's Right to Choose?
Abstract
Over the last decade a great deal of scholarly criticism has appeared concerning Doris Lessing's novels, more specifically The Golden Notebook and her Children of Violence series. Surprisingly little attention has been given to her short stories (apart from cursory reviews), although she has over sixty stories published, collected in five volumes.
Lessing, in an interview with Florence Howel admitted that she was too "prolific"; she never revised what she had written, especially in her long novels. The short stories, however, have a strength and conciseness that is sometimes lacking in the longer works. Individually the stories can clarify points about an experience, an emotion, an opinion or a type of person, and yet at the same time, they can elucidate a theme or attitude that'is closely related to the novels.
References
Florence Howe, "A Talk with Doris Lessing", Nation, March 6, 1967, p. 312.
D.M. Lessing, "The Small Personal Voice", in A Small Personal Voice..., ed. and introd. Paul Schleuter (New York: Vintage Books, 1975), p. 4.
Ibid,p.5.
"Interview with Doris Lessing by Roy Newquist", in A Small Personal Voice, p. 46.
In A Man and Two Women (1963; rpt. London: Panther Books, 1965) pp. 88-107. In-subsequent references A Man will replace the full title for this collection.
A Ripple from the Storm (1965; rpt. London: Panther Books, 1966) p. 40.
In A Man,p. 180.
In The Story of 8 Non-Marrying Man and Other Stories (London: Cape, 1972), pp. 187-213.
"The Small Personal Voice", in A Small Personal Voice, p. 14.
In A Man, pp. 253-88.
The Summer Before the Dark (London: Cape, 1973) p. 25. Hereafter cited as Summer.
The Bell Jar (-1963; rpt. London: Faber, 1966), p. 89.
D.M. Lessing, The Golden Notebook, new ed. (1972; London: Panther Books, 1973) p. 329.
R.D. Laing, The Divided Self (1960; rpt. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1965), Laing theorises that an individual invents a false self to cope with both himself (his despair or problems) and the outside world. The personality can disintegrate completely if the real self cannot keep pace with the growing unreality of the false self.
"Near Zero", New Statesman, 8 November 1963, p. 653.
Marilyn Webb, "Feminism and Doris Lessing: Becoming the Men We Want to Marry", Village Voice, January 1973, p. 14.
"The Purpose of Life", Nation, 1-4 December 1963, p. 419.
The Habit of Loving (1957; rpt. London: Panther Books, 1966) pp. 183-90.
In The. Habit of Loving, pp. 71-6.
In A Man, pp. 7-33.
Ibid., pp. 148-160.
Ibid., Note 16, p. 16.
Erica Jong, Fear of Flying (1974; rpt. London: Panther Books, 1974), p. 78.
In A Man, pp. 226-243.
Lynn Sukenick, "Feeling and Reason in Doris Lessing's Fiction", in Doris Lessing: Critical Studies, ed. Annis Pratt and L.S. Dembo (Madison: Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 1974), PP. 98-118-
The Grass is Singing (1950; rpt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1961), p. 41.
In A Man, pp. 172-190.
Justine (1957; rpt. London: Faber, 1966), p. 214.
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