female characters.
The author cites two short stories from The Long Valley as good examples--"The Chrysanthemums" and "The White Quail." She says that both stories examine the psychology and sexuality of strong women who must express themselves meaningfully within the narrow possibilities open to women in a man's world. Various similarities between the stories are noted.
The author compares the two stories at length and finds that in each the women have certain needs of the spirit that are kept ever elusive because of their abstract character. The men are practical and have a greater involvement in physic
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