Utopia

Flight

by Doris Lessing

Above the old man's head was the dovecote, a tall wirenetted shelf on stilts, full of strutting, preening birds. The sunlight broke on their grey breasts into small rainbows. His ears were lulled by their crooning, his hands stretched up towards his favourite, a homing pigeon, a young plump-bodied bird which stood still when it saw him and cocked a shrewd bright eye.

'Pretty, pretty, pretty,' he said, as he grasped the bird and drew it down, feeling the cold coral claws tighten around his finger. Content, he rested the bird lightly on his chest, and leaned against a tree, gazing out beyond the dovecote into the landscape of a late afternoon. In folds and hollows of sunlight and shade, the dark red soil, which was broken into great dusty clods, stretched wide to a tall horizon. Trees marked the course of the valley; a stream of rich green grass the road.

His eyes travelled homewards along this road until he saw his grand-daughter swinging on the gate underneath a frangipani tree. Her hair fell down her back in a wave of sunlight, and her long bare legs repeated the angles of the frangipani stems, bare, shining-brown stems among patterns of pale blossoms.

She was gazing past the pink flowers, past the railway cottage where they lived, along the road to the village.

His mood shifted. He deliberately held out his wrist for the bird to take flight, and caught it again at the moment it spread its wings. He felt the plump shape strive and strain under his fingers; and, in a sudden access of troubled spite, shut the bird into a small box and fastened the bolt. 'Now you stay there, ' he muttered; and turned his back on the shelf of birds. He moved warily along the hedge, stalking his grand-daughter, who was now looped over the gate, her head loose on her arms, singing. The light happy sound mingled with the crooning of the birds, and his anger mounted.

'Hey!' he shouted; saw her jump, look back, and abandon the gate.

Her eyes veiled themselves, and she said in a pert neutral voice: 'Hullo, Grandad. ' Politely she moved towards him, after a lingering backward glance at the road.

'Waiting for Steven, hey?' he said, his fingers curling like claws into his palm.

'Any objection?' she asked lightly, refusing to look at him.

He confronted her, his eyes narrowed, shoulders hunched, tight in a hard knot of pain which included the preening birds, the sunlight, the flowers, herself. He said: 'Think you're old enough to go courting, hey?'

The girl tossed her head at the old-fashioned phrase and sulked, 'Oh, Grandad."

'Think you want to leave home, hey? Think you can go running around the fields at night?'

Her smile made him see her, as he had every evening of this warm end-of-summer month, swinging hand in hand along the road to the village with that red-handed, redthroated, violent-bodied youth, the son of the postmaster. Misery went to his head and he shouted angrily: I'll tell your mother!'

'Tell away!' she said, laughing, and went back to the gate. He heard her singing, for him to hear: I've got you under my skin, I've got you deep in the heart of...'

'Rubbish, ' he shouted. 'Rubbish. Impudent little bit of rubbish!'

Growling under his breath he turned towards the dovecote, which was his refuge from the house he shared with his daughter and her husband and their children. But now the house would be empty. Gone all the young girls with their laughter and their squabbling and their teasing. He would be left, uncherished and alone, with that square-fronted, calm-eyed woman, his daughter.

He stooped, muttering, before the dovecote, resenting the absorbed cooing birds.

From the gate the girl shouted: 'Go and tell! Go on, what are you waiting for?'

Obstinately he made his way to the house, with quick, pathetic persistent glances of appeal back at her. But she never looked around. Her defiant but anxious young body stung him into love and repentance. He stopped. 'But I never meant...' he muttered, waiting for her to turn and run to him. I didn't mean...'

She did not turn. She had forgotten him. Along the road came the young man Steven, with something in his hand. A present for her? The old man stiffened as he watched the gate swing back, and the couple embrace. In the brittle shadows of the frangipani tree his grand-daughter, his darling, lay in the arms of the postmaster's son, and her hair flowed back over his shoulder.

'I see you!' shouted the old man spitefully. They did not move. He stumped into the little whitewashed house, hearing the wooden veranda creak angrily under his feet. His daughter was sewing in the front room, threading a needle held to the light.

He stopped again, looking back into the garden. The couple were now sauntering among the bushes, laughing. As he watched he saw the girl escape from the youth with a sudden mischievous movement, and run off through the flowers with him in pursuit. He heard shouts, laughter, a scream, silence.

'But it's not like that at all,' he muttered miserably. 'It's not like that. Why can't you see? Running and giggling, and kissing and kissing. You'll come to something quite different. '

He looked at his daughter with sardonic hatred, hating himself. They were caught and finished, both of them, but the girl was still running free.

'Can't you see?' he demanded of his invisible granddaughter, who was at that moment lying in the thick green grass with the postmaster's son.

His daughter looked at him and her eyebrows went up in tired forbearance. 'Put your birds to bed?' she asked, humouring him.

'Lucy,' he said urgently. 'Lucy...'

'Well what is it now?'

'She's in the garden with Steven.'

'Now you just sit down and have your tea.'

He slumped his feet alternately, thump, thump, on the hollow wooden floor and shouted: 'She'll marry him. I'm telling you, she'll be marrying him next!'

His daughter rose swiftly, brought him a cup, set him a plate.

'I don't want any tea. I don't want it, I tell you.'

'Now, now,' she crooned. 'What's wrong with it? Why not?'

'She's eighteen. Eighteen!'

'I was married at seventeen and I never regretted it.'

'Liar,' he said. 'Liar. Then you should regret it. Why do you make your girls marry? It's you who do it. What do you do it for? Why?'

'The other three have done fine. They've three fine husbands. Why not Alice?'

"She's the last, ' he mourned. "Can't we keep her a bit longer?'

'Come, now. Dad. She'll be down the road, that's all. She'll be here every day to see you.'

'But it's not the same.' He thought of the other three girls, transformed inside a few months from charming petulant spoiled children into serious young matrons.

'You never did like it when we married?' she said. 'Why not? Every time, it's the same. When I got married you made me feel like it was something wrong. And my girls the same. You get them all crying and miserable the way you go on. Leave Alice alone. She's happy.' She sighed, letting her eyes linger on the sun-lit garden. 'She'll marry next month. There's no reason to wait.'

'You've said they can marry?' he said incredulously.

'Yes, Dad, why not?' she said coldly, and took up her sewing.

His eyes stung, and he went out on to the veranda. Wet spread down over his chin and he took out a handkerchief and mopped his whole face. The garden was empty.

From around a corner came the young couple; but their faces were no longer set against him. On the wrist of the postmaster's son balanced a young pigeon, the light gleaming on its breast.

'For me?' said the old man, letting the drops shake off his chin. 'For me?'

'Do you like it?' The girl grabbed his hand and swung on it. It's for you, Grandad. Steven brought it for you.' They hung about him, affectionate, concerned, trying to charm away his wet eyes and his misery. They took his arms and directed him to the shelf of birds, one on each side, enclosing him, petting him, saying wordlessly that nothing would be changed, nothing could change, and that they would be with him always. The bird was proof of it, they said, from their lying happy eyes, as they thrust it on him. 'There, Grandad, it's yours, It's for you/ They watched him as he held it on his wrist, stroking its soft, sun-warmed back, watching the wings lift and balance.

'You must shut it up for a bit,' said the girl intimately. 'Until it knows this is its home.'

'Teach your grandmother to suck eggs,' growled the old man.

Released by his half-deliberate anger, they fell back, laughing at him. 'We're glad you like it. ' They moved off, now serious and full of purpose, to the gate, where they hung, backs to him, talking quietly. More than anything could, their grown-up seriousness shut him out, making him alone; also, it quietened him, took the sting out of their tumbling like puppies on the grass. They had forgotten him again. Well, so they should, the old man reassured himself, feeling his throat clotted with tears, his lips trembling. He held the new bird to his face, for the caress of its silken feathers. Then he shut it in a box and took out his favourite.

'Now you can go,' he said aloud. He held it poised, ready for flight, while he looked down the garden towards the boy and the girl. Then, clenched in the pain of loss, he lifted the bird on his wrist and watched it soar. A whirr and a spatter of wings, and a cloud of birds rose into the evening from the dovecote.

At the gate Alice and Steven forgot their talk and watched the birds. On the veranda, that woman, his daughter, stood gazing, her eyes shaded with a hand that still held her sewing.

It seemed to the old man that the whole afternoon had stilled to watch his gesture of self-command, that even the leaves of the trees had stopped shaking.

Dry-eyed and calm, he let his hands fall to his sides and stood erect, staring up into the sky.

The cloud of shining silver birds flew up and up, with a shrill cleaving of wings, over the dark ploughed land and the darker belts of trees and the bright folds of grass, until they floated high in the sunlight, like a cloud of motes of dust.

They wheeled in a wide circle, tilting their wings so there was flash after flash of light, and one after another they dropped from the sunshine of the upper sky to shadow, one after another, returning to the shadowed earth over trees and grass and field, returning to the valley and the shelter of night.

The garden was all a fluster and a flurry of returning birds. Then silence, and the sky was empty.

The old man turned, slowly, taking his time; he lifted his eyes to smile proudly down the garden at his granddaughter. She was staring at him. She did not smile. She was wide-eyed, and pale in the cold shadow, and he saw the tears run shivering off her face.

Questions

1. List the characters in the story.
2. What is the point of view?
3. Describe, and suggest reasons for the grandfather's attitude towards:
   1. the girl
   2. the postmaster's son
   3. the mother
4. The grandfather acts spitefully at one stage. What does he do? Why do you think he does it?
5. What changes his mind towards the marriage?
6. What symbolic act does he do which shows his acceptance of the marriage?
7. Quote a phrase which suggests that the girl understands his feelings.
8. What is the theme of the story?
9. Comment on the significance of the title, Flight. Why was this title chosen? What does it mean?

Writing Exercise
Imagine you are:

1. the girl, or
2. the mother, or
3. the grandfather.

Write a letter to one of the other characters in the story explaining your point of view.

Flight By Doris Lessing

In the short story "Flight" by Alice Lessing, it's the story of an old man who raises homing pigeons for a hobby and who constantly worries about his last granddaughter, Alice, leaving and getting married to the postmaster's son, Steven. The old man is very overprotective and also possessive of his daughter. In a way, the grandfather is also jealous of Alice's fiancé, Steven. The Old man argues with Alice about her behaviour when Steven is with her and he complains to his daughter, Alice's mother, Lucy. In this story, Lessing wanted to show that part of growing up is leaving "the nest" and becoming more independent. Another part of growing up is letting go and moving on with ones life. Lessing uses a lot of techniques and devices in this short story like setting, point of view and symbolism.

The setting of this story plays an important role in learning where the story takes place in, when the story takes places and what the social environment was in the story. Lessing didn't actually mention directly the setting of "Flight" but Lessing did leave a couple of clues to figure out the setting. Many of the details in the story could mislead us into thinking that the story took place somewhere English. For example; serving tea and Lucy's sewing. Actually the story takes in places in South Africa. The clue which tells the true setting of story is frangipani tree which is repeatedly mentioned throughout the story. The time of the story was harder to figure out since there weren't a lot of details mentioning this but the vocabulary used in the story was one clue. Words like postmaster and dovecote were some of the words use in the story. The social environment of "Flight" could also tell the time of the story like for instance the grandfathers attitude is more traditional.

"Flight" is written in the third person but is it told through out the entire from the old man's point of view. At the beginning of the story, the grandfather was obviously very happy with his homing pigeons. His mood changes when he sees his last granddaughter swinging on the gate, waiting for his soon-to-be husband, Steven. We clearly see this sentiment when he takes his favourite pigeon and he prepares to let it go and he suddenly catches the pigeon before it was about to take flight and he puts the bird back into the cage and locked it. His attitude towards his granddaughter can be perceived somewhat childish when the old man said to her granddaughter: "I'll tell your mother!" He acted like a child because he didn't want to lose his last granddaughter. He already had experienced something like this one since his three other daughters already left the house and got married. He just wanted his last granddaughter to stay with and not to be left alone like her other sisters.

Symbolism is another technique that's greatly used in "Flight". The most significant symbol in the story is obviously the pigeons. The old man's favourite pigeon represents Alice. He caged his favourite pigeon because he was scared that it'll will never comeback and leaves him. With pigeon caged, he would have total control over it. He wanted to do the same thing with his granddaughter but since he knows he can't do that, he does it to his favourite pigeon. Another symbol in the story is the gate in which the granddaughter was swinging on. That could represent a gateway to new beginnings. Another symbol of a new life is the garden where the couples were talking. A garden always makes new life and that's what the couple are starting. At the end, when Steven gave the old man a young pigeon, he finally realises that he could finally release his favourite pigeon and keep the new one to remind him of his last daughter. But he also realised that he could release the new pigeon representing his granddaughter. By releasing the pigeon he finally accepts losing his granddaughter but he also realises that in doing so he is also moving on too.

At the end of the story, Alice started crying when she saw her grandfather release the young and untrained pigeon. We do not actually know if those are tears of joy or of sadness but by accepting the marriage of his granddaughter possibility of losing her, this has helped him move on with his life.

پرواز
دوریس لسینگ

زندگی نامه

دوریس لسینگ Doris Lessing رمان و داستان کوتاه نویس انگلیسی در سال 1919 در شهر کرمانشاه در ایران از پدر و مادری انگلیسی به دنیا آمد. در همان آغاز کودکی به همراه والدین خود به مزرعه ای در رودزیای جنوبی

نقل مکان کرد و از آن جا برای فرار از تنهایی و انزوای زندگی کشاورزی در سن هجده سالگی به سالیسبوری آفریقای جنوبی رفت و خیلی سریع وارد زندگی هنری و سیاسی شد. در سال 1949 آفریقا را به قصد لندن ترک گفت و یک سال بعد، اولین رمان خود را به نام سبزه ها آواز می خوانند منتشر کرد. درونمایه رمان، درگیری ها و دلمشغولی های زنی سفید پوست نسبت به خدمتکار مرد سیاه پوست خود است. از آن پس چند رمان دیگر از او به چاپ رسید و در سال 1962 رمان معروفش یادداشت های طلایی منتشر شد که در آن مسایل مربوط به تحلیل فرایندهای اجتماعی و فرهنگی معاصر و فقدان عدالت اجتماعی و آزادی زنان و به ویژه تجربه های زنی نویسنده با شیوه ای نوین و تجربی مورد تحلیل قرار گرفته است. آثار بعدی لسینگ گرد مسایل درونی و عاطفی انسان می چرخد. علاوه بر چند مجموعه داستان کوتاه از جمله کتاب این سرزمین کلانتر پیر بود آثار دیگری در زمینه های خود زندگینامه، شعر و سفرنامه و مجموعه مقالات تاریخی از او منتشر شده است. نام دوریس لسینک چند سالی است که در فهرست نامزدهای غیر رسمی برندگان جایزه نوبل در ادبیات می آید.

در داستان «پرواز» لحظات حساسی که پیرمردی پای بند آداب و سنن قدیمی با دودلی و دلواپسی می گذراند و سرانجام به ازدواج نوه دختری خود رضایت می دهد تصویر شده است.

ترجمه داستان

بالای سر پیرمرد قفس سیمی بلندی بود پر از کبوترانی که بغبغو می کردند و پرهای خود را می آراستند. نور خورشید در سینه سپید کبوتران می شکست و رنگین کمان های کوچکی می ساخت. صدای کبوتران همچون نوای لالایی در گوش پیر مرد می نشست. دستانش را بالا به سوی سوگلی اش، کبوتر جلدی که چاق و چله و جوان بود برد. پرنده وقتی او را دید آرام سرجایش ایستاد و با چشمان براق و زیرکش به او خیره شد.

پیرمرد هنگامی که کبوتر را گرفت و بیرون کشید سردی چنگال هایی را که به دور انگشتانش پیچید حس کرد و گفت: «نازی، نازی، ناز.» با خرسندی کبوتر را بر سینه اش چسباند، بر درختی تکیه داد و به منظره غروب آفتاب در آن سوی قفس چشم دوخت. در زیر سایه روشن نور آفتاب خاک سرخ تیره شخم خورده تا سینه افق گسترده بود. ردیف درختان، مسیر دره و رودی از چمن های سبز و پرپشت مسیر جاده را مشخص می کرد.

نگاهش به سوی خانه بازگشت، نوه اش را دید که روی دروازه متحرک پرچین، زیر بوته یاسمن نشسته و تاب می خورد، گیسوانش در زیر امواج نور خورشید بر پشتش ریخته بود و پاهای بلند و عریانش بدور ساقه های لخت و قهوه ای یاسمن و در میان شکوفه های کمرنگ تازه رسته می چرخید. از کنار شکوفه های صورتی و کلبه نزدیک خط آهن که در آن زندگی می کرد به جاده ای که به سوی دهکده می رفت چشم دوخت.

حالش دگرگون شد. دستش را عمدا باز کرد تا کبوتر پرواز کند و دوباره به محض گشودن بال هایش او را گرفت. کوشش و جنب و جوش این جثه گوشتالود را زیر انگشتانش حس کرد و با هجوم ناگهانی بغض و کینه ای آزار دهنده کبوتر را به داخل لانه کوچکی انداخت و در لانه را بست.

زیر لب غرید «حالا همان جا می مانی» پشتش را به قفس کبوترها کرد. آهسته آهسته به سوی پرچین پیش رفت، در کمین نوه اش که روی دروازه متحرک پرچین نشسته و تاب می خورد نشست. او سرش را بر دستانش تکیه داده بود و آواز می خواند. صدای شاد و سبک او با آواز پرندگان در آمیخت و برخشم او افزود.

فریاد زد: «آهای» و دید که دختر از جا پرید، سربرگرداند و دروازه را رها کرد. دختر با چشمانی به زیر افکنده و با لحنی بی تفاوت گفت: «سلام پدر بزرگ». پس از اینکه آخرین نگاهش را به جاده پشت سرش انداخت مودبانه به سوی او رفت.

پیرمرد که انگشتان در هم گره کرده اش چون چنگالی در کف دستش فرو می رفت گفت: «آهای، با توام، منتظر استیون هستی؟»

دختر بی آن که به او نگاه کند با خونسردی پرسید : «مخالفید؟»

پیرمرد مقابلش ایستاد، چشمانش تنگ و شانه هایش خمیده شده بود، دردی سخت و جانکاه که پرندگان، آفتاب، گل ها و حتی خود دختر را نیز متاثر ساخت در جانش پیچید. گفت: «با توام، فکر می کنی آنقدر بزرگ شده ای که بتوانی اظهار عشق کنی؟» دختر سرش را بالا انداخت و با اخم گفت: «آه پدربزرگ!».

«آهای می خواهی بروی بیرون از خانه؟ فکر کردی می توانی در این وقت شب دورو بر مزارع پرسه بزنی؟»

لبخند دختر سبب شد تا مرد او را دست در دست پسر رئیس پست، جوان پرشوری که دست و صورتی آفتاب سوخته دارد، در تمام بعد از ظهرهای این آخرین ماه گرم تابستان، جست و خیزکنان در طول جاده دهکده مجسم کند. خشم سراپای وجودش را گرفت و فریاد زد: به مادرت می گویم.

دختر خنده کنان گفت: «زود برو بگو» و به سوی دروازه بازگشت.

مرد آواز دختر را که با صدای بلند می خواند تا او نیز بشنود شنید.


«من تو را در پوست خود یافته ام

من تو را در قلب خود یافته ام».

مرد فریاد زد: «آشغال ، آشغال ، گستاخ!»

غرغرکنان به سوی قفس پرندگانش بازگشت تنها پناهگاه او در خانه ای که با دختر و دامادش و فرزندان آنها شریک بود. اما حالا دیگر خانه خالی شده بود. همه آن دختران جوان با صدای خنده هایشان، قیل و قالشان و آزار و اذیت هایشان رفته اند. او تنها مانده است، تنها و بدون هیچ دلبستگی، تنها با دخترش، زنی با چشمانی بی فروغ و صورتی آرام.

در مقابل قفس ایستاد، هنوز زیر لب می غرید، در دل از این کبوتران زیبا و صدای بغبغویشان نیز احساس انزجار می کرد.

دختر از کنار دروازه فریاد زد: برو بگو! برو، منتظر چه هستی؟

مرد با لجاجت به سوی خانه شتافت در حالی که نگاه های ممتد رقت انگیز و ملتمسانه اش همچنان در پی دختر بود اما او اصلا به پشت سرش نگاه نکرد. جسارت و اشتیاق جوانی دختر، آتش عشق و ندامت را در دل مرد شعله ور ساخت. ایستاد. زیر لب گفت: «اما من منظوری نداشتم ...» در انتظار اینکه دختر باز گردد و به سویش بشتابد ماند «من منظوری نداشتم ...».

دختر برنگشت، او را فراموش کرده بود. سر و کله استیون با چیزی در دستش در جاده ظاهر شد.

پیرمرد قامت خمیده خود را راست کرد و در حالی که عبور آن دو را که سر در بالین هم داشتند از میان در و تلوتلو خوردن لنگه های در را نظاره می کرد با خود گفت: «هدیه ای برای او؟» در زیر سایه های زودگذر بوته یاسمن نوه عزیز و دلبندش در میان بازوان پسر رئیس پست لمیده بود و گیسوانش بر روی شانه ها و پشتش ریخته بود.

پیرمرد با لحنی حاکی از بغض و کینه فریاد زد: دارم می بینمتان. ولی آن دو هیچ حرکتی نکردند. مرد با گام هایی سنگین که صدای غژ و غژهای خشمگینانه کف ایوان در زیر آنها به گوش می رسید خود را به داخل خانه کوچک و سفید رساند. دخترش در اتاق رو به رو مشغول خیاطی بود، سوزنی را در جهت نور گرفته و مشغول نخ کردن آن بود.

دوباره ایستاد، نگاهی به باغ انداخت. آن دو شاد و خندان در میان بوته ها قدم می زدند. دید که دختر با حرکتی شیطنت آمیز به یکباره از کنار مرد جوان گریخت و به میان گل ها دوید، مرد جوان نیز به دنبال او دوید. پیرمرد صدای هلهله، خنده و صدای جیغی را شنید و سپس سکوت در همه جا حاکم شد.

زیر لب غرید «اما این اصلا مثل آن نیست چرا نمی فهمی؟ این دویدن ها، خنده های مستانه و بوسیدنها. این مثل آن نیست. تو به دنیایی کاملا متفاوت پا می گذاری».

با زهر خندی نفرت انگیز به دخترش نگریست، از خودش نیز بیزار بود. پسر او را گرفت و بازی خاتمه یافت اما دختر هنوز بی پروا می دوید.

پیرمرد از نوه اش که اکنون میان چمن های سبز و پرپشت در کنار پسر رئیس پست دراز کشیده بود و در دیدرس او قرار نداشت ملتمسانه پرسید: «نمی توانی بفهمی؟»

دختر به او نگریست و ابروانش به علامت پایان یافتن صبرو شکیبایی اش بالا رفت.

به شوخی گفت: «کبوترانت را خواباندی؟»

پیرمرد گفت فورا گفت: «لوسی، لوسی»

«خب چه شده؟»

«با استیون در باغ است».

«بیا بنشین، بیا چای بخور».

مرد پایش را بر کف چوبی اتاق کوبید و فریاد زد «او می خواهد با استیون ازدواج کند. به تو گفتم او به زودی با استیون ازدواج می کند».

دخترش فوری بلند شد، فنجانی و بشقابی برایش روی میز گذاشت.

«گفتم، چای نمی خواهم، اصلا هیچ چیز نمی خواهم».

دختر زمزمه کنان گفت: «حالا، حالا مگر چه عیبی دارد؟ چرا نمی خواهی؟»

«او همه اش هجده سال دارد. هجده سال!»

«من در هفده سالگی ازدواج کردم و هرگز پشیمان نشدم».

پیرمرد گفت: «دروغ نگو، دروغ نگو، باید پشیمان می شدی. چرا دخترانت را وادار به ازدواج می کنی؟ این تو هستی که آنها را به ازدواج وا می داری. چرا؟ برای چه این کار را می کنی؟»

«سه دختر دیگر ازدواج های موفقی داشته اند و همسران خوبی دارند. چرا نباید آلیس هم ازدواج کند و همسر خوبی داشته باشد؟»

پیرمرد در حالی که اشک در چشمانش حلقه زده بود گفت: «او آخری است. نمی توانیم کمی بیشتر نزد خودمان نگهش داریم؟»

«پدر، حالا بیا، بنشین. دارد به پایین جاده می رود، همین و بس. هر روز برای دیدنت به این جا خواهد آمد».

اما این دو مثل هم نیستند. او به سه دختر دیگر اندیشید که در فاصله چند ماه از دختر بچه های لوس و زود رنج به بانوانی جوان و جدی مبدل شدند.

دختر گفت: «تو هیچ گاه با ازدواج دخترانت موافق نبودی، چرا؟ برخورد تو با مساله ازدواج دخترانت همیشه به یک گونه بوده است. وقتی من ازدواج کردم باعث شدی فکر کنم کارم اشتباه بوده است. در مورد ازدواج دخترانم نیز به همان گونه رفتار کرده ای. تو با خلق و خویی که د ر پیش گرفتی همه آنها را آزرده خاطر ساختی. آلیس را به حال خود بگذار. او شاد و سرخوش است». آهی کشید و نگاهش لختی بر روی باغ گسترده در زیر نور آفتاب خیره ماند. او ماه آینده ازدواج خواهد کرد. دلیل برای انتظار وجود ندارد.

پیرمرد با ناباوری پرسید: «تو گفته ای که آنها می توانند ازدواج کنند؟»

دختر با خونسردی در حالی که خیاطی اش را به دست می گرفت گفت: «بله پدر. چرا ازدواج نکنند». پیرمرد سوزشی در چشمان خود احساس کرد، به ایوان رفت. قطرات اشک بر گونه هایش جاری شد، دستمالش را بیرون آورد و همه صورتش را با آن پاک کرد. باغ خالی بود. زوج جوان از گشت و گذار خویش در اطراف باغ بازگشتند اما در چهره هایشان کینه و عداوتی نسبت به او دیده نمی شد. در دستان پسر رئیس پست کبوتر جوانی قرار داشت که نور آفتاب بر سینه اش پرتو افکنده بود.

پیرمرد پرسید: «این برای من است» قطرات اشک بر چهره اش سرازیر شد. «برای من؟» دختر خود را به بازوی پیرمرد آویخت و پرسید: «پدر بزرگ، دوستش داری؟ آن مال توست. استیون آن را برای شما آورده». آن دو او را با علاقه و مهربانی در میان گرفتند و سعی کردند اشک و خشم را از چشمانش بزدایند. دستانش را گرفتند و او را به سوی قفس پرندگان پیش می بردند، نوازشش کردند و در خموشی و سکوت گفتند که هیچ چیز تغییر نخواهد کرد و آنها برای همیشه با او خواهند بود. آنها از میان چشمان به زیر افکنده خود و نگاه های حاکی از رضایت و خوشنودی که گاه بر او می افکندند می گفتند که این پرنده خود دلیل اثبات این مدعاست.

هر دو هنگامی که پیرمرد پرنده را در دستش گرفته بود و پشت صاف و نرمش را نوازش می داد و بالهایش را وارسی می کرد تماشا کردند.

دختر با لحنی صمیمانه گفت: «اگر چه این پرنده این جا را خانه خود می داند، شما نیز باید گه گاه او را رها کنید» پیرمرد غرغرکنان گفت: «من گول نمی خورم».

همان طور که به حرفهایش می خندیدند بازگشتند و او را که هنوز قدری عصبانی بود به حال خود رها کردند. گفتند: «خوشحالیم که آن را پسندیدید». پشتشان به او بود، در گوش هم نجوا می کردندو به سوی دورازه باز می گشتند ولی این بار جدی و هدفدار. بلوغ جدیدت در آنها بیش از هر عامل دیگری سبب متوقف ساختن مخالفت های او گردید، اگرچه این امر باعث تنهایی اش می شد در عین حال سبب آرامشش نیز بود. او به سرزنش های خود در رابطه با جست و خیزهای آنان در میان چمن ها که در نزد او همچون رفتار توله سگها می نمود خاتمه بخشید.

آنها دوباره او را از یاد برده بودند. پیرمرد خود را با این اندیشه که خب، بالاخره آنها باید او را فراموش کنند تسلی داد، احساس کرد بغض گلویش را می فشرد و لبانش می لرزد. کبوتر را به نزدیک صورتش برد و پرهای ابریشمینش را نوازش کرد. سپس آن را به لانه انداخت و سوگلی اش را بیرون آورد.

با صدای بلند گفت: «حالا می توانی بروی»، در حالی که به هر دو می نگریست کبوتر را در دستانش گرفت و آماده پرواز کرد، درد جدایی بر دلش چنگ زد، پرنده را بر روی دستانش بالا برد و پرواز آن را بر بلندای آسمان نظاره کرد. صدای دیرررر ... گشوده شدن بالها بود و پرواز توده انبوهی از پرندگان قفس در آسمان غروب.

آلیس واستیون که در کنار دروازه ایستاده بودند حرفشان را فراموش کردند و به پرندگان نگریستند. دخترش بروی ایوان ایستاده بود، دستش را که هنوز ابزار خیاطی را گرفته بود بر چشمش سایه بان کرد و به آسمان چشم دوخت.

به نظر پیرمرد رسید که در تمام طول بعد از ظهر؛ همه چیز اطرافش در تماشای حالت تسلط بر نفس او راکد و خاموش مانده، حتی برگ درختان نیز از حرکت باز ایستاده اند.

آرام شده بود، دیگر اشتیاقی به گریستن نداشت. دستانش را پایین آورد، قامتش را راست کرد و به آسمان چشم دوخت. توده انبوهی از کبوتران نقره فام با صفیر گشوده شدن بالهایشان به پرواز درآمده بودند و بر فراز خاک تیره خیش خورده و حصار سیاه درختان و چمن های در هم فرو رفته درختشان بالا و بالاتر می رفتند تا جایی که در افق و در امواج دریای نور خورشید چون توده ای از گرد و غبار غوطه ور شدند.

کبوتران در دایره وسیعی می چرخیدند و با به اهتزاز در آوردن بالهایشان پرتوی از نور خورشید را منعکس می کردند، پرتوی در پی پرتو دیگر. سپس یکی پس از دیگری از فراز آسمان به سوی زمین فرود آمدند و در تاریکی، برفراز درختان، چمن ها، مزارع، به سوی دره، این جان پناه شب بازگشتند.

از بازگشت پرندگان در باغ ولوله ای بر پا شد. لختی بعد سکوت بود و آسمان خالی. پیرمرد به آرامی بازگشت، ساعتش را نگاه کرد و با لبخندی غرورآمیز به نوه اش در پایین باغ نگریست. دختر به پیرمرد خیره شده بود. لبخندی بر لب نداشت، در زیر سایه های سرد و تاریک شب چشمانش در آن چهره رنگ پریده بی فروغ می نمود و پیرمرد غلتیدن اشک را برگونه های او نظاره کرد.

ترجمه: منیژه اسدی نیازی

منبع متن داستان: ماه مگ

 summary

An old man (unnamed) who keeps pigeons, worries about his granddaughter, Alice. He has seen his other granddaughters leave home, marry and grow up, and he is both possessive of Alice and jealous of Steven, her boyfriend. (He disapproves of Steven's appearance and his father's job.) The old man argues with Alice about her behaviour, and complains to his daughter, Alice's mother (Lucy).

At the start of the story the old man shuts up his favourite pigeon, rather than let it fly. But when Steven, the boyfriend, makes him a present of a new pigeon, he is more able to accept what is going to happen, and he lets his favourite go. The ending of the story is ambiguous (it has more than one possible meaning): Alice has tears on her face, as she stares at her grandfather. But we do not know if they are for him, for Steven, for herself or for some other cause. And we do not know if they are tears of joy or sadness or some other feelings.

The themes of this story

Is this a story about an old man who receives a present from his granddaughter's boyfriend? In one way, of course it is. But is this all? Or does this outward or surface narrative lead into another? Leaving home and becoming independent are things which most people face sooner or later. They can be alarming, but they are natural and almost inevitable.

Sometimes this kind of story is described in the phrase “rites of passage” - which fits narratives about growing up, moving on and life-changes. This should make it a very suitable story for young people preparing for exams: Alice's situation will be one that you face now or will face soon. How do you feel about this prospect? Is it scary, or exciting or both?

The characters in the story

This is a very short story, so it does not have fully developed characters as we might meet in a novel or one of Shakespeare's plays. Doris Lessing tells us only what we need to know (and perhaps misses lots of things we might like to know). So who are these characters?

The old man

The central character in the story has no name. Why might this be? Does it make him seem less of an individual, or perhaps make him seem more universal, like someone we might know? Or can you think of any other reason for his not being named?

We know that he is Alice's grandfather, and that he feels possessive towards her. We know also that he keeps pigeons. The story is told largely from his viewpoint and whatever it means, it is certainly in some way about his learning or accepting things about Alice.

Alice

Alice is the old man's granddaughter. She is a young woman but he still sees her as a child - or would like to do so. She looks young and sometimes acts in a carefree way, but mostly she has a serious and grown up wish to marry her boyfriend, and settle into a domestic routine.

Lucy

Lucy is the old man's daughter and Alice's mother. She is depicted as a grown up in her appearance ("square-fronted"), her actions (she looks after her father) and the way in which her father thinks of her (“that woman”). Her husband is absent (perhaps she is a widow or divorcee, but there is no evidence to tell the reader more, save that it is Lucy who gives Alice permission to marry). But we know that Lucy married at seventeen “and never regretted it”. She tries to reassure the old man about Alice. She has already agreed to her marrying Steven, and tells her father this in the story.

Steven

Steven is Alice's boyfriend. In the story we see him through the old man's eyes. The old man finds things wrong with him (his red complexion, his physical appearance and his father's job). The reader is not likely to share this disapproval. Lucy expects him to be as good a husband as her other three girls have. And he is thoughtful enough to give the old man a present of a pigeon.

The setting - time and place

Doris Lessing grew up in Zimbabwe, in southern Africa. Yet the setting of this story could almost be anywhere, except for a few clues. One is the wooden veranda at the front of the whitewashed house. Another, which is repeatedly mentioned, is the frangipani tree. (This species of tree takes its name from an Italian perfumier; the scent of the blossom supposedly resembles one of his perfumes.) But many details make the story seem almost English in its setting. Some of these are listed below. Can you think of others?

• the valley, the earth, the trees;
• the dovecote;
• Lucy's sewing;
• plates and cups of tea;
• Steven's father's job - he is a “postmaster”

Perhaps more important is the time in which this story is set. Although the narrative seems quite modern in showing a young woman about to leave home, the attitudes of the grandfather are more traditional. He wants to keep his grandchild at home, and spoil her as his favourite. Although Alice will not give in to the old man's wishes, she still shows respect for him.

Doris Lessing's technique

Technique refers to the way an author writes - not what he or she says, but how it is said.

Body language - actions and gestures

This is a story in which attitudes appear often in actions. For example, when her grandfather shouts: “Hey!” Alice jumps. She is alarmed, but then becomes evasive, as we see when her “eyes veiled themselves”. She adopts a neutral voice and tosses her head, as if to shrug off his confrontational stance. When he thinks of Steven the old man's hands curl, like claws into his palm. When Steven gives the old man the present of a new pigeon both Alice and her boyfriend try to reassure the old man:

“They hung about him, affectionate, concerned…They took his arms and directed him…enclosing him, petting him...”

Here we find another reference to eyes - they are “lying happy eyes”, telling the old man that nothing will change, when he and they know this is false. At the end of the story Alice is “wide-eyed” while tears run down her face. Earlier it was the old man who was crying at the thought of losing her. What do her tears mean at the end of the story? Perhaps she knows that she really is to be married, and she, too, is now sad at the end of childhood.

When Lucy shades her eyes with her hand, she is genuinely interested in the Flight of the pigeons, but she has not let go of her domestic routine - her hand still holds her sewing. She waits on her father - “brought him a cup, set him a plate” but lets him know that she will not give in to his demands, when she takes up her sewing.

Dialogue

This story is dramatic. A lot of it is in the form of conversation. While Lucy is calm and reasonable, the old man and Alice quarrel like children. Note how the old man asks questions with the word “Hey” - “Waiting for Steven, hey?”and “Think you're old enough to go courting, hey?”. His threats are childish: “I'll tell your mother” and “I see you!”

Language

Doris Lessing uses repetition in the story to reinforce details of the scene (sunlight, the frangipani tree, the veranda, Lucy's sewing) or to identify people (“the postmaster's son” and “his daughter” or the “woman”).

There are also many references to people's bodies - to eyes, legs and hair. Is there a reason for this? Do they show us people as they really are (as we might see them if we were present)? Or do they show us people as the old man sees them? Is his noticing Alice's “long bare legs” a bit disturbing - we perhaps think he should not see her in such a way.

Comparisons are very important here. Many of them are to natural things. Alice's long legs are likened to the frangipani stems - "shining-brown" and fragrant. The old man's fingers curl like claws (an image which suggests his own pigeons). Later Alice and Steven tumble like puppies - they are not yet enjoying adult pleasure but their play is a preparation for what comes later.

Sometimes a single word tells us a great deal: when the old man talks of “courting” he reveals the gulf between himself and Alice. She is struck by the “old-fashioned phrase”.

Symbolism

This story is very obviously one where symbolism is important to our understanding. Alice is clearly likened to the favourite pigeon. The old man can keep the bird in, where he cannot control Alice. But when he receives the new pigeon, he is able to release the favourite: he accepts that shutting it in is not right. The gift also suggests that there may be some compensation for the old man in the new situation. But really he knows that nothing can make up for the loss of his last grandchild.