The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-04
ELLEN GLASGOW
TALKS HEROINES

what is success for a woman"
Success genuine success carrying
with II a degree OF satisfaction In life
AS we'll as the material things with
which we associate the word-must be
about the same for n woman sas for n
a Success for n woman lei a
harmonious adjustment to life. The
great thing In life is the development Of
character to Inc point where one may
mould his own destiny. Perhaps tho an
swer to your question is. The great
est success for a woman Is TO be captain
Of her own soul"
Thus spoke Ellen Glasgow. novelist
Of the South. whose new book Life and
Gabrielle" just published by Doubleday.
Page 4 Co. Is an expression Of the mod
ern American woman who insists upon
shaping her own destiny.
Women ave always been In revolt"
she replied to a question az 10 whether
she Intended Life and Gabrielle" %
express the modern revolt OF woman.
II. IL only now that the revolt Is etronS
enough 10 break through the crust. No
matter what her conditions or class
woman does no, at the present momen
have to marry for support. because she
is asham med to he unmarried or because
she Is bounded to II by her relatives. She
dares TO remain single.
II md one Of The most fascinating
dramas In all the varied facets of life
IL the great epic Of changing conditions
and the adjustment of Ind v!duals to the
new order. Naturally the battle is al
ways sharpes, and most dramatic In
those places where the older system haa
been most firmly intrenched. And that
is why the coming of the new order IN
the South has been attended by so many
dramatic stories. when I began Nir-
..,,,., = hal IL, ,,,g,,1 t1,ras hnnkg dealing
with the adjustment 81 human lives 10
the changing condition.
I'm Virginia I wanted to do the biog-
raphy of "A woman representative OF the
old system Of chlvalry her
relation to that system ana the changing
order. Nirg.nia's education. like that OF
every well bred southern woman OF her
DAY, was designed to paralyze her rea-
soning faculties and to eliminate All
danger Of mental unset'ling. \irginin
was the passive and helpless victim of
the IDEAL of feminine self-sacr!hce The
circumstance of her life first moulded
and then dominated her. Gabrielle was
the product OF the same school, bu; in.
stead Of being used by circumstances
she used them TO create her own destiny.
Wher. Virginia is passive Gabrielle 10
active"
And the third book
Miss Glasgow. however. was not 10
be inveigled into discussing this story
to come. She admitted that the plan
was in her mind--tha. she Is AZ MS
time living with the character
But the time is not ripe To write
she said A soon a. ! begin TO speak
of the character 1t all leaves me. For
some years | wrote one book every two
years. Three years elapsed hetwecn
'Viryluia' and Life and Gabrielle |
have no idea when the next will he
finished.
II cannot write short stores lheF
bore me eXcruciatinTly. The who'e
technique of the short story ana the
novel II different. All the beet OF the
short, stories must be painfully condenser
with sliEli regard t. the oNolut'onaiE
causes bring .ng about Ms or that erect
Everything .ha: ! see ! see III the FORM
O. "A novel. as a large canvas want
20 trace the process OF cause ana erect.
and tina, Ia why both virginia ana
.iabrislla' were a Joy In the wrltihg'
These books do not deal with proh'ems'
/ do not ever let a problem get into my
novels there is none except, OF course
,s some problem OF an individual lie
may p,csent itself 10 the character. !
nm not, concerned with n propaganda
The book should never serve any pur-
nosc hut, the telling OF NE at II 49, pcihs
faithfully reA iistic.'