At The Gate Of The Golden Age

Doris Lessing (1919-) is one of the most brilliant and prolific writers who won the Noble Prize in literature in2007. Lessing’s works have always been concerned with women issues, describing women’s living state and trying to explore a way for women’s development. The present thesis aims to study women’s identity construction and self-fulfillment in The Diaries of Jane Somers from the perspective of female Bildungsroman.The Diaries of Jane Somers (1984) which includes two parts:The Diary of a Good Neighbor (1983) and If the Old Could (1984), is Lessing’s first works after she reclaims the voice of realism in her later phase of writing career. In the form of diary, The Diaries of Jane Somers describes Jane Somers, a career woman who is at the gate of golden age, begins to reflect her life after her mother and husband died. Her reflection over life includes her reconsideration on mother-daughter relationship, male-female relationship and relationship between women and career.This thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter One is about the introduction. It introduces Doris Lessing and her The Diaries of Jane Somers briefly. And the literature review of The Diaries of Jane Somers at home and abroad, the methodology and framework of this thesis are also introduced. Chapter Two mainly discusses Jane’s struggling quest for a harmonious family relationship. This quest is explored from the angle of motherhood and sisterhood and puts an emphasis on the importance of motherhood in the construction of female subject. Chapter Three explores Jane’s quest for harmonious men-women relationship. After the death of Freddie, Jane’s husband, Jane meets Richard and falls in love with him. Her communication with Richard makes her realize her guilt for Freddie and provides her a chance to have a new understanding of the relationship between male and female. Chapter Four examines Jane’s reconsideration on the relationship between career and life. Jane’s change from a career woman to a part-time career woman implies that the protagonist takes a big step towards her self-discovery journey. Chapter Five is the conclusion.