To Room Nineteen by Doris Lessing is a short story that takes place post-WWII. During the time this was written the world was experiencing the changes caused by the end of the war. Britain was losing political power and the start of second wave of feminism was occurring. These changes and ideas influenced Lessing in her writing in different ways. Lessing writes of a woman, Susan Rawlings, and her internal battle of depression. The short stories focus is on Susan and her difficult acceptance to the change of the family and her relationship with her husband Mr. Rawlings. The choices and thoughts that are made by Susan during the few months leading up to her death show the extent of her oppressed depression. By writing, To Room Nineteen, Doris
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Lessing’s’ use of the word ‘important’ is used when the narrator is talking through the significance of Matthews infidelity to Susan. Throughout the passage, the word is used a total of five times as the narrator is contemplating Susan and Matthews relationship and how the infidelity has affected previously thought. The use of this word is to demonstrate Susan’s attempt to justify the situation. By stating that if “what we felt that afternoon was not important, nothing is important, because if it hadn’t been for what we felt, we wouldn’t be Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings…” (Lessing 2761). Lessing is able to indict how desperate Susan was to hide the feelings of betrayal. Also, the use of reputation of the word important is to demonstrate Susan’s breakdown and the process of justifying that their relationship still has meaning. Following this contemplation, the repetition of ‘absurd’ is then repeated four times. Susan has finally come to the conclusion “the whole thing is absurd” (Lessing 2761). Lessing choice of the world absurd is to show how torn Susan’s mind really was during this passage. By using absurd it also allows for the reader to understand how upset Susan is by the event. By stating the absurdity of it, she is trying to hide her anger. Further oppressing any thoughts, she may have regarding the …show more content…
The processing of dealing with her husband’s affair causes her to rethink everything that defined their relationship. The intensity of her oppression even causes the native to change completely. The end of this passage has Susan concluding that Myra Jenkins wasn’t anyone of importance. After spending time contemplating if it held any importance at all. Thus, fulfilling her goal of oppressing the difficult feelings that arouse when she was first told of her husband’s infidelity. Without this part of the short story there wouldn’t be as deep of an understanding of what was actually occurring in Susan’s mind. This entire passage is a way a looking glass into the true Susan Rawlings deepest thoughts. This passage allows for the reader to really understand how instance the depression really was and the true impact it left on her
Lessing’s’ use of the word ‘important’ is used when the narrator is talking through the significance of Matthews infidelity to Susan. Throughout the passage, the word is used a total of five times as the narrator is contemplating Susan and Matthews relationship and how the infidelity has affected previously thought. The use of this word is to demonstrate Susan’s attempt to justify the situation. By stating that if “what we felt that afternoon was not important, nothing is important, because if it hadn’t been for what we felt, we wouldn’t be Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings…” (Lessing 2761). Lessing is able to indict how desperate Susan was to hide the feelings of betrayal. Also, the use of reputation of the word important is to demonstrate Susan’s breakdown and the process of justifying that their relationship still has meaning. Following this contemplation, the repetition of ‘absurd’ is then repeated four times. Susan has finally come to the conclusion “the whole thing is absurd” (Lessing 2761). Lessing choice of the world absurd is to show how torn Susan’s mind really was during this passage. By using absurd it also allows for the reader to understand how upset Susan is by the event. By stating the absurdity of it, she is trying to hide her anger. Further oppressing any thoughts, she may have regarding the …show more content…
The processing of dealing with her husband’s affair causes her to rethink everything that defined their relationship. The intensity of her oppression even causes the native to change completely. The end of this passage has Susan concluding that Myra Jenkins wasn’t anyone of importance. After spending time contemplating if it held any importance at all. Thus, fulfilling her goal of oppressing the difficult feelings that arouse when she was first told of her husband’s infidelity. Without this part of the short story there wouldn’t be as deep of an understanding of what was actually occurring in Susan’s mind. This entire passage is a way a looking glass into the true Susan Rawlings deepest thoughts. This passage allows for the reader to really understand how instance the depression really was and the true impact it left on her