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what do we find of history？
〃I Pharaoh； King of Kings！ Lord of Lords！ （etc。 etc。）； 〃went down into
the miserable land of Kush； and slew of the inhabitants thereof an
hundred and forty and two thousands！〃 That； or something like it； is
the kind of record early history gives us。
The story of Conquering Kings； who and how many they killed and
enslaved； the grovelling adulation of the abased； the unlimited
jubilation of the victor； from the primitive state of most ancient
kings； and the Roman triumphs where queens walked in chains； down to our
omni present soldier's monuments： the story of war and conquestwar and
conquestover and over； with such boasting and triumph； such cock…crow
and flapping of wings as show most unmistakably the natural source。
All this will strike the reader at first as biased and unfair。 〃That
was the way people lived in those days！〃 says the reader。
Noit was not the way women lived。
〃O； women！〃 says the reader； 〃Of course not！ Women are different。〃
Yea； women are different； and _men are different！_ Both of them； as
sexes； differ from the human norm； which is social life and all social
development。 Society was slowly growing in all those black blind years。
The arts； the sciences； the trades and crafts and professions；
religion； philosophy； government； law； commerce； agricultureall the
human processes were going on as well as they were able； between wars。
The male naturally fights； and naturally crows； triumphs over his rival
and takes the prizetherefore was he made male。 Maleness means war。
Not only so； but being male； he cares only for male interests。 Men；
being the sole arbiters of what should be done and said and written；
have given us not only a social growth scarred and thwarted from the
beginning by continual destruction； but a history which is one unbroken
record of courage and red cruelty； of triumph and black shame。
As to what went on that was of real consequence； the great slow steps of
the working world； the discoveries and inventions； the real progress of
humanitythat was not worth recording； from a masculine point of view。
Within this last century； 〃the woman's century；〃 the century of the
great awakening； the rising demand for freedom； political； economic； and
domestic； we are beginning to write real history； human history； and not
merely masculine history。 But that great branch of literatureHebrew；
Greek； Roman； and all down later times； shows beyond all question； the
influence of our androcentric culture。
Literature is the most powerful and necessary of the arts； and fiction
is its broadest form。 If art 〃holds the mirror up to nature〃 this art's
mirror is the largest of all； the most used。 Since our very life
depends on some communication； and our progress is in proportion to our
fullness and freedom of communication； since real communication requires
mutual understanding； so in the growth of the social consciousness； we
note from the beginning a passionate interest in other people's lives。
The art which gives humanity consciousness is the most vital art。 Our
greatest dramatists are lauded for their breadth of knowledge of 〃human
nature；〃 their range of emotion and understanding； our greatest poets
are those who most deeply and widely experience and reveal the feelings
of the human heart； and the power of fiction is that it can reach and
express this great field of human life with no limits but those of the
author。
When fiction began it was the legitimate child of oral tradition； a
product of natural brain activity； the legend constructed instead of
remembered。 （This stage is with us yet as seen in the constant changes
in repetition of popular jokes and stories。）
Fiction to…day has a much wider range； yet it is still restricted；
heavily and most mischievously restricted。
What is the preferred subject matter of fiction？
There are two main branches found everywhere； from the Romaunt of the
Rose to the Purplish Magazine；the Story of Adventure； and the Love
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 o