Cubism In The Novel Form Of The Golden Notebook

The Golden Notebook is the most famous work by Doris Lessing. It is remarkable for its rich characterization, sharp political and social criticism, and original experiment on the novel form. The thesis mainly focuses on the significance of Lessing's experimentation on the novel form.Doris Lessing reflects upon and explores the relation between representation of reality and novel forms in the book. Based on the shaping principles by Cubism, the most influential Western art movement in modern times, she constructs the novel form of The Golden Notebook. The principles include the union of time and space, multiplicity of perspectives in representing reality and reflexivity in literary and art creation and observation.The paper expounds the argument from three aspects. Chapter One traces the historical evolution of novel forms and highlights the originality of the novel form in The Golden Notebook. Chapter Two illustrates the close relation between novel and painting and specifies the parallel relation between the novel form in The Golden Notebook and Cubism. Chapter Three analyses in detail the novel form of The Golden Notebook and its parallel relationship with Cubism in terms of shaping principles and dynamics.The interdisciplinary perspective employed in the thesis intends to provide a different reading and research orientation in evaluating the novel form.