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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 to； what we are used to we like； what we like we
think is good and proper。
The widening demand for broader； truer fiction is disputed by the slow
racial mind： and opposed by the marketers of literature on grounds of
visible self…interest； as well as lethargic conservatism。
It is difficult for men； heretofore the sole producers and consumers of
literature； and for women； new to the field； and following masculine
canons because all the canons were masculine； to stretch their minds to
a recognition of the change which is even now upon us。
This one narrow field has been for so long overworked； our minds are so
filled with heroes and heroes continually repeating the one…act play；
that when a book like David Harum is offered the publisher refuses it
repeatedly； and finally insists on a 〃heart interest〃 being injected by
force。
Did anyone read David Harum for that heart interest？ Does anyone
remember that heart interest？ Has humanity no interests but those of
the heart？
Robert