Introduction

Abstract

Gay’s praise reminds us, if we need it, of both Wharton’s prominence as a writer and her contemporary relevance. At the same time, Gay’s admiration for a woman “unafraid to offer opinions” speaks to ongoing divided reactions to such women, applauded in some quarters, damned in others, for the very acts of thinking and speaking for themselves. Gay defines Wharton’s stature and contributions expansively: The Writing of Fiction “showed how the work of the fiction writer is not only to create fiction but also to consume fiction and be able to hold forth on matters of craft.” For Wharton, writing was, however noble, however much a calling to “the Land of Letters” (BG 119), ultimately just that: a “craft” – a conviction underscored in The Writing of Fiction by its validation of, and interdisciplinary links to, a variety of practical but creative art forms, among them acting, music, and design.