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《the criticism of to room nineteen：十九房间的批评》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、ThecriticismofToRoomNineteen"ToRoomNineteen,"oneofthecollectedstoriesinDorisLessing'sAManandTwoWomen(1963),hasbeensingledoutasoneofherbeststories.Itcentersonamiddle-agedEnglishwoman,whoseworldinamid-twentiethcenturyLondonsuburbrevolvesaroundherhusband,herfourchildren,andherhome.Everyonethin
2、ksSusanandherhusbandMatthewaretheperfectcouple,whohavemadealltherightchoicesinlife.WhenSusanpacksheryoungestchildrenofftoschool,however,shebeginstoquestionthe"intelligent"decisionsshehasmade.Whenshediscoversthatherhusbandhasbeenhavingextramaritalaffairs,sheembarksonajourneyofself-discoveryt
3、hatultimatelybecomesadescentintomadness.ThestorybeginswithadescriptionofthehistoryofSusanandMatthewRawlings'smarriage,whichhasbeenaverypracticalunion.Theymarriedintheirlatetwentiesafterhavingknowneachotherforsometimeandafterhavingexperiencedotherrelationships.They,andtheirfriends,considerth
4、emtobe"wellmatched."Forthefirsttenyearsofhermarriage,Susanhasallowed,inLawrence'sterms,hermentalconsciousnesstoexert"atyrannyovertheblood-consciousness"bydictatingherlifechoices.Yet,asthelastofherchildrenstartschool,Susan's"bloodconsciousness"beginstoemerge,threateningthefabricofherfamily,a
5、swellashersanity.SusanandMatthewhavehandledtheirrelationship"sensibly,"marryinglateintheirtwenties,movingtothesuburbs,andadoptingconventionalroles.Their"foresightandtheirsense"promptedthemtodecidethatSusanwouldgiveupherjobwithanadvertisingfirmandtakecareofthehouseandthechildrenwhileMattheww
6、ouldsupportthem,bothdeterminingthat"childrenneededtheirmothertoacertainage."Intheearlydaysoftheirmarriage,they,alongwiththeirfriends,werecertainthattheyhadchosen"everythingright,appropriate,andwhateveryonewouldwishfor,iftheycouldchoose."Their"intelligence"keptthemfromwantingmoreandensuredth
7、attheywouldappreciatewhattheyhad.Yetatthebeginningofthestory,this"balancedandsensible"couplebeginstoexperienceasenseofflatness,whichbecomesmostpronouncedforSusan.Initially,sherespondsbythrowingallofherenergyintothecareofherchildrenandtheupkeepofthehouse.
