‘No Hip Muffs’: female ageing in Doris Lessing’s fiction and correspondence

But now start the delightful surprises. Time becomes fluid […] And inside this fluidity a permanence, for person who looks at old face in mirror is same as one shares your earliest memories, when you were two, perhaps less: that child’s core woman’s. ‘Here I still am: haven’t changed all.’ Best of all, not ever predicted nor, think, described, fresh liveliness experiencing. Is it if some gauze or screen has been dissolved away from life, was dulling it, and like Miranda want to say, What Brave New World!11 Doris Lessing, ‘Old’, Bites (London: Harper Perennial, 2005), p.216. The narrative ageing decline – ‘Old’ interrogates articulated texts such Simone de Beauvoir’s La Vieillesse (1970, translated Coming Age) confirmed reinforced by subsequent stereotypes tropes.22 For Helen Small’s useful summary pessimism, her argument continuing relevance Age, see introduction Long Life (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010), pp.11-15. Diana Wallace summarises Beauvoir thus: ‘The woman doubly Othered gender age’.33 Wallace, ‘Women’s Time’: Women, Intergenerational Relations Lessing’s Diaries Jane Somers’, Studies Literary Imagination, Georgia State University, 39.2, Fall 2006, p.43. However, supposedly opposite ‘optimistic’ narratives can be equally problematic because, Roberta Rubenstein points out, women these are too often bound up with ‘romance’.44 Rubenstein, ‘Feminism, Eros, Age’, Frontiers: A Journal Women Studies, Nebraska Volume 22, Number 2, 2001, pp. 1-19, p.3. This double bind means while feminist responses have moved discussions female on, ‘it yet clear whether contemporary authors fiction theory ‘named’ problem ways might enable imagine alternatives culturally embedded scripts’.55 Similarly, remarks ‘Even within feminism ageism proven difficult confront.’ Time’, Thus, wider challenge age studies expose inadequacy paucity scripts, once acknowledged, questions possibility alternative come fore. field studies, which includes scholars wide range disciplines social natural sciences, cultural philosophy turned literature representations ageing, well thinking about possibilities.66 prominent figure field, Margaret Gullette, used term ‘age studies’ since early 1993, she notes Aged Culture (Chicago: Chicago 2004), p.202, n.21. Nick Hubble Philip Tew’s recent Ageing, Narrative Identity: Qualitative Social Research Palgrave Macmillan, 2013) considers life-narratives, memoir way understanding interrogating dominant ageing. book and, example, Gullette’s Life, both hopeful cautious possibilities rethinking stereotypes. Gullette out risks realist ‘Bildungsroman’ articulates need different kinds form perspective reimagining ageing; pp.64-67 p.157 particular. Within wide-ranging work, attention paid Lessing.77 example: Maricel Oró-Piqueras, ‘Narrating ageing: Deconstructing negative conceptions four English novels’, Aging 27 (2013), 47-51; also ‘Dys-Appearing’ Body Diary Good Neighbour Forster’s Have Men Had Enough?’, Societies 2012, pp.270-285; Sima Aghazadeh, ‘Ageism Gender Performativity Summer Before Dark’, Lessing Vol.34, 2016. See 2004 special issue ‘Coming Age’. scholarship considering writing include books Adventures Spirit: Older Woman Works Atwood, Other Contemporary Writers, ed. Phyllis Perrakis, Zoe Brennan’s Recent Fiction. Much this, however, focus on content rather than form. In comment reminiscent 1970 prologue Golden Notebook ‘Lessing herself remarked ‘the immediate subject Love, Again, love age, surprising shocking, fact novel complicated structure hardly noticed”.88 Susan Watkins, “Summoning Your Youth Will’: Memory, Time, Work Penelope Lively, Lessing’, 34, 2013, 222-244, p.238. article attends how utilises technique ageing.99 my comparative work across several extends Watkins’s claim Lessing: ‘takes aging process addressed new structures techniques.’ ‘Summoning Will’, p.225. ask: what chronologies, forms, devices perspectives novels? How does private correspondence complicate add our appreciation fiction? To answer questions, show plays structure, Dark (1973), (1983) Again (1995),1010 Subsequently referred Summer, Diary, Again. 1990s 2000s Muriel Spark, collection materials lively forthright discussion so far received scant critics.1111 archive held British Archive Writing East Anglia; Spark’s National Library Scotland. Certainly, time publication 1983 (originally published under pseudonym Somers), before, highly aware critical publishing industry beyond. written middle-aged glossy magazine editor Janna unlikely friendship 90s, Maudie Fowler, lives poverty basement bedsit London. While there much book’s ‘provocative treatment aging, body’, less given ‘hoax’ pseudonymous raised specific connections between insidious presence sexism industry, matter book, own position writer 60s.1212 novels Somers ‘taboo breaking’ their depiction p.44. Several critics note publishers rejected because ‘too depressing’ publish: focuses experiences very aged Maudie’s poverty, illness death. As left ‘generic formal complexity masquerades naïve realism’ overlooked.1313 p.238; (Manchester: Manchester pp.96-97, pp.109-110. fact, argue below, generic absolutely key critique (gendered) ageism. consider novels’ textual motifs, uses invoke resist women’s stood back step, arms folded, waiting. Thinking? She would said so. trying catch hold something, lay bare could look define; had ‘trying on’ ideas many dresses off rack. letting words phrases worn nursery rhymes slide around tongue: towards crucial custom allots certain attitudes, they pretty stereotyped. Ah yes, first love! … Growing painful! My child, know Marriage compromise am young was.1515 Paladian Books, 1990), p.5. next door energetically attending something: objects being about. Then reappeared looking room. Not woman, easy vigour movements half seen shadows. French put even bit older, dressed present herself, but wearing trousers shirt.1919 Flamingo, 1997), p.1. further distancing framing device, all three novels, mirror: ‘a leitmotif fictions ageing’.2525 Brennan that, course, image wrinkles spots outer body neglects inner body’s health key; battle cancer see; p.82, p.119. Segal’s reading (and claims feelings ageing) pessimism terms clash ‘problem’ sense an ‘unchanging core’ evidence mirror.2626 Segal, Out pp.110-111 Segal misses deliberately ambivalent function women. We similarly misread remarks: ‘Is surprise mirrors think: Who’s woman?’2727 p.215 read suggest alienation tension unpleasant ‘surprise’ similar ‘surprising shocking’, ‘depressing’ self reflected unchanging self. Indeed, cited epigraph, writes ‘inside memories all”.2828 p.216 interests me here shift ironic?) effect person’ face’ mirror, first-person declaration continuity. reading, claiming either ‘true’ self, instead expressing ‘delightful surprise’ incongruous copresence two example ‘Time fluid’.2929 way, use works disrupt chronology refuse synthesis: similarly, functions device which, precisely selves holds play once, create ironic distance decline. comparing end Kate’s changing perception body, growing awareness ageist gendered expectations maintenance hair. Early narrator ‘Her hair we reach place where most energy gone into choice done soft waves few freckles allowed remain reddish dramatically so’.3030 p.11 Every aspect appearance carefully discreetly managed controlled, particular signifies this. At novel, demonstrates significance extent transformation brilliantly underplayed phrase ‘simply, grew old’.3131 p.9 Just before returns family home, Kate sees shop windows, ‘her recognizable shape. Her aged. Noticeably well, no overlook that!’3232 p.232 decision return ‘with undressed, tied straight utility; rough streaky, widening grey band showing statement intent’ outward sign rebellion against will manage cover signs ageing.3333 p.233 front long slim decorative flung dress, those folded sagged, shook walked evening. again invisible.3434 p.178 Sarah just evening saw her. glance changed, closer says otherwise. ten years. thing hair, remained smooth dulled metal, bands front. acquired slow elderly, afraid corner.3636 p.337 disruptive effects Diary. version Summer. bathing self-care routine, beautiful, expensive bespoke clothing, necessary dying realises act ‘my medicine oblivion’.3939 (New York: Vintage 1984), p.224. working full regularly visiting (first home then hospital), finds able attend clothing appearance. When goes part time, ‘looked forward, more getting clothes mark’; however ‘stood glass best suit’, is, style, do inclination.’4040 p.217. Despite horror ‘trap’ ‘tired slovenliness’ ‘after fifties, abdicate’, quips increasingly previous immersion care immaculate style appearance.4141 particularly reveals forms techniques perceptions examples above demonstrate, Janna’s diary charts attitudes experience moves intimacy distance, always, dialogue observations of, increasing entanglement imaginative inhabiting agedness. creates continual interplay narration always relational; outside agedness relation it. relational creates, resulting ambivalence relationship central novel. Details frank descriptions repulsion living conditions, initial description ‘an witch’, tiny bent-over nose nearly meeting chin’, make hard reader ascertain text resisting perpetuating stereotypes.4242 p.12 offer generous commitment Maudie, others caution, contending deflect body.4343 See, Body’, Kortney Stern Mills, ‘Becoming Somers: Constructing Authorship, Genre, Age Neighbour’ Though Mills’s caution useful, tendency ‘real’, critiquing motivations tense, example. It certainly significant only ‘described’ perspective. reader’s) simultaneous attempt failure ‘imaginatively inhabit’ describing puts ‘not described’ reinforces role ageing.4444 pp.56-57. ‘How you, swing, Mrs Fowler?’ ‘Oh, must five, six. ‘ None adds ask, doesn’t progression made, mind bright pictures painted dwelling decades.45 linear time: cannot insert linearity, fragments inconsistencies memory contradict attempts build chronology, ‘progression’ point. slippery tell explains why later ‘Maudie’s relentless life’ ‘gallantly light-hearted’ escapist historical titled Milliners serious biography history.4646 p.244; p.57 So, transform evidenced episodic ‘fluid’: ‘simultaneous sequential antilinear’.4747 p.224 unflinching ailing physical descriptive simultaneity late anachronistic synthesis, good illustration so-called juxtaposed with, therefore disrupted by, complex playful structure.4848 ‘Late Style’ Watkins’ Will’ pp.223-227. Spark (mostly 1996 2006), novelists negotiate construct identities writers using fiction, Unlike created agedness, constructs born shared experience. Given expect communicate feels like, whereas demonstrated primarily concerned like. remains preoccupied focussing involves demands external gaze expectation television, maintain figure, historically charged one, exposes simultaneously especially question spectacle. bodies, employ bodies stereotyped viewed. contains litany ailments: diagnosed osteoporosis; shingles; fall; fractures spine; lumbago; pleurisy; suffers mini-stroke; sight failing; pneumonia; fallen bladder; has, ‘what called gastroenteritis call shits’.4949 24th August 2005. Accession 13,508 box 78. Please note: references accessions 11621, 11344, 11870, 12082, 13508 Scotland may change currently interim arrangement listed. ‘Everyone seems ill’, writes. definition old? simply believe ago carelessly healthy.’5050 3rd May 2003. 78 another: ‘I hope Muriel’, writes, ‘That really question. experiencing various symptoms age. Like boring carcass.’5151 22nd Feb 34 cumulative insist ignored. tempted reinforcing keenly constructed problem, dialogic tone resists reiterates position. Of reality difficulties reminded soiled abject imagining day’ here5252 pp.113-122. humour disrupts critiques reductive solely distanced indeed fragmented desire utilise mode order picture ‘advanced’ osteoporosis. down, strikes fear heart. appears comedy. specialist, without any remembers should wear hip muffs. Rather Vivienne Westwood fantasy suppose. her, then. ‘But dear ‘At …’ No muffs.5353 dated hand 20.11.01, possibly You diabolical luck. If thin, Bette Davis clearly twenty inch waist. Perhaps another myth. All last summer afflicted bugs beasties, doctor, hysterical, obsessed, sure lost weight. reason hadn’t eaten anything due removing ordinary taste, every mouthful strong couldn’t bear mouth. symptom list doctor believed me.5454 15th Jan thus significantly multiple view forward fiction. Reading together, shown, facilitates sustained consideration how, form, through norms clichés. particular, nature correspondence, essay lies continue subjected mirror. distinct novels. letters faxes exception partial incomplete separately housed each recipients’ archive, items negotiation ambivalence.5656 archive. And, although instability narrates found free indirect-narrative positioned sometimes close contrast, cocreated located experience, express surprises’ ‘liveliness experiencing’ manner never quite predicts describes Yes, ironically distanced; also, mutual sympathy negotiation. suggest, fictional interrogate scripts begins constructive positive politically body.