Abstract Novelists reflect the prevailing views of their society, even when they disagree with those ideas. The way society views women can be discerned in the novels "The End of the Affair" by Graham Greene, "Lady Chatterley's Lover" by D.H. Lawrence and "The Wide Sargasso Sea" by Jean Rhys. The paper shows that gender is used as one of many elements that order society and when novelists question this element, it is because they believe it is based on a false view of the issue and that it limits both men and women in their interactions and their ability to achieve.
From the Paper "D.H. Lawrence's portrait of a woman in Lady Chatterley's Lover also sets the female against the social order. Added to this, he suggests that female nature is being stifled by that order for purposes of its own. Further, Lawrence suggests that women represent and seek out in others a certain naturalness, a primal sexuality, that contrasts with the abstract and cerebral. Lady Chatterley has bowed to the social pressures of her time and married Sir Clifford. He has retired to his estate after the end of the war, a shattered and impotent man. He is convinced only of his own superiority to the working-class people on his estate and elsewhere. Clifford has achieved a popular success with the stories he writes. In effect, Clifford gives his wife permission to conceive a child by another man, since he is impotent and has no desire for sex. However, he assumes that his wife will select someone of the same social class."
Abstract This paper discusses the novel, "The End of the Affair," written by Graham Greene. It particularly looks at how the novel challenges its reader with contrasting views on issues such as love of God, love of self and love of another. It looks at this theme by discussing the plot and the relationship between the main characters, Maurice Bendrix and Sarah.
From the Paper "Bendrix and Sarah enjoy very few of the moments portrayed in The End of the Affair. There are a few happy times, early on, when they are together, declaring undying love for one another, but these are quickly overshadowed by the misery of loneliness and self-deprecation. Bendrix is a terrible person, unable to love himself, Sarah, or his fellow man. He develops a strong emotional attachment to Sarah, but it is not truly love he feels, for it is much too easy for jealousy and spite to take over their relationship. He looks to destroy the bond they have built at every turn. He will continue to be unhappy until he can reconcile his feelings for God, Sarah, and his fellow man. Sarah's grief is the effect of her self-loathing. She cannot be happy with herself, and therefore she can never be happy. One gets the feeling death is a welcome release for her. She becomes free from the judgement of Maurice, Henry, and the Fathers. The End of the Affair is an example that harmony begins from within. A love of self, or at least an acceptance of one's own character is necessary for a fulfilling existence."
