Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook - Page 290

Page 290

admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:38:27 -0500

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Page 290

Kirsten — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:43:22 -0500

Naomi, what brilliant comments! I marked this section too, for how relevant it feels - I especially like the way Anna chronicles her switch between a deep happiness (derived from cooking smells) and that cold feeling of guilt and nerves. She says she fights with dissatisfaction, and the way that she describes her thoughts as they degenerate into guilt and unhappiness still seems resonant and modern. I suppose we juggle expectation and emotion as much now as ever.

Page 290

Naomi Alderman — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:05:22 -0500

Why thank you Kirsten! And yes, I wondered why she was so unwilling to accept that the simple, solitary creativity of cooking had given her happiness. I know she *says* that she thinks she's only happy because she's remembering other happy times with Michael but I wonder... it's the only time in her day that she's alone (apart from the OCD-like washing at the office), it's the only time she's doing something at least partly for herself - because she'll eat the food too. But I think that's another very common source of guilt for women: not wanting to do anything for ourselves, feeling that time spent alone, being creative, is time taken away from those who rely on us.