Theodore Sturgeon

[lydy]

I've been reading a bunch of Theodore Sturgeon lately. I mostly remember him for _More Than Human_. He wrote mostly short stories, many many of them. I find that I'm very grateful I wasn't alive in the Fifties. He has a terrible view of men. His men are nasty, mean, jealous, and incapable of having equal relationships. It doesn't appear that he approves of this, indeed I get the impression that he doesn't. But he takes it for granted. His women are thin, often lack agency, and are always in reference to a man. It's very strange. Heinlein's view of both women and men is kinder, more optimistic. Isn't Sturgeon supposed to be the hippie and Heinlein the fascist? Ok, Heinlein was never a fascist. But I find the contrast startling, and not in a good way.

Comments

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Now that I think about it, the best I can come up with is Asimov. While Susan Calvin is not exactly a DEEP character, she is certainly not a feminine stereotype. And Second Foundation was one of my favorite s.f. books as a child because the most heroic character in it is... a TEENAGE GIRL. OMG, that was the first and only time I encountered that until Telzey Amberdon came along in the early '60's.