Iris Murdoch (review)
change in postwar society. A feminist sensibility would enable the Pym advocate to question the criteria that assigns Pym the marginal status of "miniaturist." Rossen concludes her study with a disappointing final assessment: "Pym's fiction will probably fall ultimately into the category of 'minor, but elegant'Â—its oldfashioned, quaint quality does not obscure its value, but her scope is too narrow to exalt her to the category of major novelist." Feminist critics might argue that the traditional labels of "major" and "minor"Â—a tactical designation that frequently and effectively dismisses serious consideration of women's writingÂ—is problematic and highly suspect. If a patriarchal aesmetic assigns minor status to writers concerned with the detail, the "little things in life," that aesthetic must be challenged. A feminist appraisal, one that would not equate the detail with the trivial, could locate Pym's greatest strength in her obsession with the detail. Rossen characterizes her own project as a starting-point and invites a vigorous continuation of Pym studies. This well-written study, with strong, illuminating readings, provides such a foundation.