按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Story。
The Story…of…Adventure branch is not so thick as the other by any means；
but it is a sturdy bough for all that。 Stevenson and Kipling have
proved its immense popularity； with the whole brood of detective stories
and the tales of successful rascality we call 〃picaresque〃 Our most
popular weekly shows the broad appeal of this class of fiction。
All these tales of adventure； of struggle and difficulty； of hunting and
fishing and fighting； of robbing and murdering； catching and punishing；
are distinctly and essentially masculine。 They do not touch on human
processes； social processes； but on the special field of predatory
excitement so long the sole province of men。
It is to be noted here that even in the overwhelming rise of industrial
interests to…day； these； when used as the basis for a story； are forced
into line with one； or both； of these two main branches of
fiction；conflict or love。 Unless the story has one of these
〃interests〃 in it； there is no storyso holds the editor； the dictum
being； put plainly； 〃life has no interests except conflict and love！〃
It is surely something more than a coincidence that these are the two
essential features of masculinityDesire and CombatLove and War。
As a matter of fact the major interests of life are in line with its
major processes； and thesein our stage of human developmentare more
varied than our fiction would have us believe。 Half the world consists
of women； we should remember； who are types of human life as well as
men； and their major processes are not those of conflict and adventure；
their love means more than mating。 Even on so poor a line of
distinction as the 〃woman's column〃 offers； if women are to be kept to
their four Ks； there should be a 〃men's column〃 also； and all the
〃sporting news〃 and fish stories be put in that； they are not world
interests； they are male interests。
Now for the main branchthe Love Story。 Ninety per cent。 of fiction is
In this line； this is preeminently the major interest of lifegiven in
fiction。 What is the love…story； as rendered by this art？
It is the story of the pre…marital struggle。 It is the Adventures of
Him in Pursuit of Herand it stops when he gets her！ Story after
story； age after age； over and over and over； this ceaseless repetition
of the Preliminaries。
Here is Human Life。 In its large sense； its real sense； it is a matter
of inter…relation between individuals and groups； covering all emotions；
all processes； all experiences。 Out of this vast field of human life
fiction arbitrarily selects one emotion； one process； one experience； as
its necessary base。
〃Ah！ but we are persons most of all！〃 protests the reader。 〃This is
personal experienceit has the universal appeal！〃
Take human life personally then。 Here is a Human Being； a life；
covering some seventy years； involving the changing growth of many
faculties； the ever new marvels of youth； the long working time of
middle life； the slow ripening of age。 Here is the human soul； in the
human body； Living。 Out of this field of personal life； with all of its
emotions； processes； and experiences； fiction arbitrarily selects one
emotion； one process； one experience； mainly of one sex。
The 〃love〃 of our stories is man's love of woman。 If any dare dispute
this； and say it treats equally of woman's love for man； I answer； 〃Then
why do the stories stop at marriage？〃
There is a current jest； revealing much； to this effect：
The young wife complains that the husband does not wait upon and woo her
as he did before marriage； to which he replies； 〃Why should I run after
the street…car when I've caught it？〃
Woman's love for man； as currently treated in fiction is largely a
reflex； it is the way he wants her to feel； expects her to feel； not a
fair representation of how she does feel。 If 〃love〃 is to be selected
as the most important thing in life to write about； then the mother's
love should be the principal subject： This is the main stream。 This is
the general underlying； world…lifting force。 The 〃life…force；〃 now so
glibly chattered about； finds its fullest expression in motherhood； not
in the emotions of an assistant in the preliminary stages。
What has literature； what has fiction； to offer concerning mother…love；
or even concerning father…love； as compared to this vast volume of
excitement about lover…love？ Why is the search…light continually
focussed upon a two or three years space of life 〃mid the blank miles
round about？〃 Why indeed； except for the clear reason； that on a
starkly masculine basis this is his one period of overwhelming interest
and excitement。
If the beehive produced literature； the bee's fiction would be rich and
broad； full of the complex tasks of comb…building and filling； the care
and feeding of the young； the guardian…service of the queen； and far
beyond that it would spread to the blue glory of the summer sky； the
fresh winds； the endless beauty and sweetness of a thousand thousand
flowers。 It would treat of the vast fecundity of motherhood； the
educative and selective processes of the group…mothers； and the passion
of loyalty； of social service； which holds the hive together。
But if the drones wrote fiction； it would have no subject matter save
the feasting of many； and the nuptial flight； of one。
To the male； as such； this mating instinct is frankly the major interest
of life； even the belligerent instincts are second to it。 To the
female； as such； it is for all its intensity； but a passing interest。
In nature's economy； his is but a temporary devotion； hers the slow
processes of life's fulfillment。
In Humanity we have long since； not outgrown； but overgrown； this stage
of feeling。 In Human Parentage even the mother's share begins to pale
beside that ever…growing Social love and care； which guards and guides
the children of to…day。
The art of literature in this main form of fiction is far too great a
thing to be wholly governed by one dominant note。 As life widened and
intensified； the artist； if great enough； has transcended sex； and in
the mightier works of the real masters； we find fiction treating of
life； life in general； in all its complex relationships； and refusing to
be held longer to the rigid canons of an androcentric past。
This was the power of Balzache took in more than this one field。 This
was the universal appeal of Dickens； he wrote of people； all kinds of
people； doing all kinds of things。 As you recall with pleasure some
preferred novel of this general favorite； you find yourself looking
narrowly for the 〃love story〃 in it。 It is therefor it is part of
life； but it does not dominate the whole sceneany more than it does in
life。
The thought of the world is made and handed out to us in the main。 The
makers of books are the makers of thoughts and feelings for people in
general。 Fiction is the most popular form in which this world…food is
taken。 If it were true； it would teach us life easily； swiftly； truly；
teach not by preaching but by truly re…presenting； and we should grow up
becoming acquainted with a far wider range of life in books than could
even be ours in person。 Then meeting life in reality we should be
wiseand not be disappointed。
As it is； our great sea of fiction is steeped and dyed and flavored all
one way。 A young man faces lifethe seventy year stretch； remember；
and is given book upon book wherein one set of feelings is continually
vocalized and overestimated。 He reads forever of love； good love and
bad love； natural and unnatural； legitimate and illegitimate； with the
unavoidable inference that there is nothing else going on。
If he is a healthy young man he breaks loose from the whole thing；
despises 〃love stories〃 and takes up life as he finds it。 But what
impression he does receive from fiction is a false one； and he suffers
without knowing it from lack of the truer broader views of life it
failed to give him。
A young woman faces lifethe seventy year stretch remember； and is
given the same bookswith restrictions。 Remember the remark of
Rochefoucauld； 〃There are thirty good stories in the world and
twenty…nine cannot be told to women。〃 There is a certain broad field of
literature so grossly androcentric that for very shame men have tried to
keep it to themselves。 But in a milder form； the spades all named
teaspoons； or at the worst appearing as trowelsthe young woman is
given the same fiction。 Love and love and lovefrom 〃first sight〃 to
marriage。 There it stopsjust the fluttering ribbon of announcement；
〃and lived happily ever after。〃
Is that kind of fiction any sort of picture of a woman's life？ Fiction；
under our androcentric culture； has not given any true picture of
woman's life； very little of human life； and a disproportioned section
of man's life。
As we daily grow more human； both of us； this noble art is changing for
the better so fast that a short lifetime can mark the growth。 New
fields are opening and new laborers are working in them。 But it is no
swift and easy matter to disabuse the race mind from attitudes and
habits inculcated for a thousand years。 What we have been fed upon so
long we are well used t