the whole, the exchange between the men and the woman is rather one-sided, with the woman choosing to completely ignore the jeering men. Each man displays a varied response to the unresponsive woman. Tom, the youngest of the three, is fascinated by and infatuated with the woman, while Stanley, a newlywed in early adulthood, is angered and insulted by the woman’s indifference towards them. Harry, the oldest of the group at 45, on the other hand is more respectful of the woman. Each man’s reaction to the woman is guided by his personality and level of understanding, and therein lie the reasons behind their behavior.

Initially Tom’s reaction to the wo

From what is revealed of Stanley’s character, it is reasonable to establish that he is very confident, and probably receives much attention from women in general. This is evidenced in his conversation with Mrs. Pritchett (611- 612). As a result of this he has become somewhat arrogant. Stanley’s anger towards the woman on the roof is derived from his arrogance. Stanley expects some sort of a reaction from the woman, and insulted by her lack of interest in him he determines that he must in-turn insult her.

Of the three men, Harry’s response to the woman on the roof is by far the most mannerly and considerate.

man is insulting. Following Stanley’s example he “whistles and yells (608)” at her hopping to trigger a response. However, as the story develops, Tom’s attitude towards the woman evolves to one of f

Some topics in this essay:
Initially Tom’s, Stanley Harry, reaction woman, Doris Lessing, woman roof, Woman Roof”, , contempt woman, woman’s indifference, stanley’s example, towards woman,