The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-04
THE POPULAR CONCEPTION
OF WOMAN IN FICTION

quite as capable as man Is OF emerging
from periods OF weakness and failure.
That this has been attempted II is true.
But always one feels that the author even
IN the writing has an uneasy eye on the
bugDear figure Of his reader. What are
the springs OF this prejudice II would be
hard to say. Probably II Is the heritage of
that fierce. warning spirit OF Puritanism
which would neither compromise with
backslding nor comprehend the sinner.
Whatever the reason an sure that the
experience OF American o ..hors has been
one of perple xed amazemeu. 10 md that
the criticism they provoke is not in the
bleak presentation of evil but In the
touches OF human frailty with which they
have dared to humanize their heroinS.
! speak quite frankly. for ! am aware
that In the attempt to break through the
stock limitations In an unemotiona! pres
entatlon OF good and bad instincts In n
certain significant type OF modern girl
in my last novel. THE Salamander." ]
am running knowingly against thu deeply
lngrained popular prejudice. Yet this
same popular demand for different
treatment in fiction from what exists in
life the author perceives IL what is pre-
clsely retardinG the craving OF the hum IN
race for the ideal. The whole history o.!
literature is one Of misunderstanding be-
tween the author and his public as to
what are the presentable verities OF hui
man existence. BalZac fiercely defended
himself against the charges OF immortality
IN misrepresenting his times. And
Thackeray was as keenly sensitive TO the
constant implication that his was an en-
FILTERED and cynical point OF view. At
the bottom. II the public only knew 1t,
the authors conception OF his duty 10 So
ciety Is a simple one. lie holds that I'M
morality In fiction can never consist in
the courageous holding up OF the mirror
TO uglness, but in the deceitful presenta-
ton as desira BILE and admirable of a phase
of life which lie knows to be corrupt
ing. one OF the most interesting devel-
opments OF the feminist progress to which
I look forward Is her final frank eN-
positlon In fiction. Until lately the sign H.
canoe of the soul Venturings which the
new ideas have brought to women IL sun
unrelated TO contemporary fiction.
The romantic. appealing and ethereal
tyne Of jcune file has completely gone.
The Young girl of to-day may be many
things-she IL new ignorant. She has at
least the mental liberty OF curiosity and
exploration OF her brother. Precisely here
Is the dancer, This same liberty has
come too quickly with dangerous intoNi-
cation. ! do not pr 50 mt the Salamander
as wholly fascinating or an illogically
successful type What ! have tried to en-
phasizo is the peril of this new lawless ex-
istence into which thousands OF undsci-
plined young gir's-nOn -combatants-have
run avidly in the first phase of great
adventure II is not tn brilliant aspect
throbbing with excitement and adventure
that Is sgnificent. but rather the pathos
Of their struggle. the fight that is unequal
VIII n fought alone. the inevitable arrival
Of the dark days of reckoning, the heart
WEAKNESS and the final yearning for tran
guilty and security along tho lines Of the
abiding human Instincts
am an ardent feminist. profound be-
lever in the II cessity OF bringing the full
measure of happiness 10 women by giving
then the same soul satisfying opportunl-
tics for usefulness as men l believe In
this because ] believe that the other OPP