Gee, the more things change the more they stay the same! (Please pardon
cliche.) Writing as a substitute for a "real life" with a husband and
children, huh? When I told my 70-something mother of the recent sale of
my first novel (I'm 45, director of a State of Maine agency division,
happy - successful - and SINGLE BY CHOICE), her response went something
like this: "That's nice, dear. But don't worry, someday you'll get
married; you still have time. In the meantime, I suppose it's nice if
you're subliminating to satisfy your real needs."
My, but I'm glad my self-image was formed long before I found out what
I'd really have to do to please Mama...who is a retired professional
with two graduate degrees, and ought to know better.
Nina Osier (author of "Exile's End," soon to be available on diskette
from Electra-Lite Books)
Tanya Wood wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Sep 1997, Sean Johnston wrote:
>
> > Jessica also
> > >channels most of her energies into her son: the mother figure self-
>
> > >sacrificing so that her son can become a real hero. And how about
> > >Irulan's misery because Paul doesn't love her? She channels all
> that
> > >repressed passion into books and language, but 'really' just
> desiring to
> > >be a 'real' woman (ie loved and desired by Paul).
> >
> >
> > Isn't that what mothers do in their mother context: make sure their
> kids,
> > male or female, do better than they?
> Yes, they do. But the end always seems male defined.
>
> As for Irulan, I felt pretty bad for
> > her, too. She, I can say honestly, was a true pawn, but I still
> don't see
> > that as sexist, just sad for her.
>
> Yes, Irulan is a true pawn, who tries to deal with her situation in
> the
> best way she can (and does fairly well too). I too feel sad for her:
> what
> I do think is sexist is the implication that her writing is an outlet
> because she has been deprived a real relationship with Paul. Hence a
> furfilling heterosexual relationship (with kids included) becomes the
> natural arena for women, with Irulan's writing as a poor substitute
> for a
> real life with a real man.
>
> > >
> -Sean >
>
> Tanya (I'm enjoying this discussion by the way)
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