The Representation Of Female Body In The Diaries Of Jane Somers

Doris Lessing, the Noble Prize winner in literature in 2007, is a distinguished female writer in contemporary British literature. With diverse styles of works and extensive themes, Lessing has consistently concerned with women issues, depicting women’s living dilemma and trying to explore a way for women’s development.The Diaries of Jane Somers, published in 1984, is a representative of Lessing’s later creation to return to realism. The four main female characters in the novel are all living in the post-modern consumer society advocating youth, beauty and health of the female body. Without exception, their bodies are facing an objectified dilemma within this dominant culture. To explore the profound practical significance, this thesis attempts to place the novel in the context of consumer society where the consumer culture is believed to be responsible for the dilemma of the female body.There are three parts in this thesis. The first part is an introduction. It introduces the current researches on The Diaries of Jane Somers at home and abroad. And the motivation and significance of the research, the methodology and framework of this thesis are also introduced. The second part consists of three chapters. Chapter One elaborates upon the development of Consumer Culture theory and embodiment of body in consumer culture. Based on the consumer culture theory and the relationship between body and consumer culture, the thesis will interpret Lessing’s representation of female body in the consumer culture. Chapter Two dissects the body dilemma that the four women in the novel are facing in the consumer society through the relationship of consumer culture and body. Jane, a successful career woman, Maudie, a solitary old woman, as well as Jill and Kate, two anxious youngsters, are all encountered with an objectified dilemma, leading to traumatic alienation of the body from the soul. Chapter Three explores Lessing’s idea of female body’s liberation and salvation. Lessing cares about harmony and integrity of female body, wishes the harmonious human relation full of love and care, so that human’s harmony of body and emotion may be improved. This chapter illustrates humanistic care unique in Lessing’s novel from three aspects: Jane’s undertaking of love and care, Maudie’s self-struggle and self-seeking, Jill’s active pursuing and Kate’s passive fantasy. The third part comes to a conclusion, pointing out that while bringing about contribution in human civilization at the same time, consumer culture also causes a lot of dilemma to female body. For body is not only a matter of physical flesh but also of spiritual soul, and the harmony between body and soul is the foundation of people’s survival. Thus in order to find the true self in consumer society, modern women need to have awareness to care for and build the harmony of their bodies.