A Woman on a Roof by Doris Lessing
"A Woman on a Roof" by Doris Lessing is a short story set against the backdrop of a June heat wave in London, chronicling the interactions between three roof repairmen and a woman sunbathing on an adjacent rooftop. The narrative unfolds over seven days, highlighting the men's escalating obsession with the woman, who remains largely indifferent to their attention. Initially, their reactions are playful and teasing, but as the story progresses, their behavior becomes more aggressive and frustrated due to her lack of response. Tom, the youngest of the trio, experiences a complex mix of infatuation and discomfort, contrasting sharply with Stanley's crude and confrontational attitude.
The story explores themes of desire, masculinity, and the dynamics of power in interpersonal relationships, set against the oppressive heat that intensifies emotions and tensions. Lessing crafts a vivid depiction of urban isolation, as the woman embodies both freedom and alienation, while the men grapple with their own vulnerabilities and insecurities. Ultimately, the narrative raises questions about human connection, the nature of attraction, and the often-unspoken barriers that exist between individuals in a crowded urban environment. This nuanced examination invites readers to reflect on societal roles and personal desires within a confined space.
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A Woman on a Roof by Doris Lessing
First published: 1963
Type of plot: Sketch
Time of work: A June week during the early 1960's
Locale: London
Principal Characters:
Harry , a maintenance worker, about forty-five years oldStanley , a younger worker, recently marriedTom , seventeen, the youngest workerA woman sunbather
The Story
This is the story of seven days during a June heat wave in London. One day, three men repairing the roof of an apartment building in the baking sun see a woman sunning herself on an adjoining roof. Taking advantage of her apparent privacy, she undoes the scarf covering her breasts. When Harry, the oldest worker, leaves to borrow a blanket to put up for shade, Stanley and the seventeen-year-old Tom let out wolf whistles at the woman, but she ignores them. At the end of the day, first Stanley, then Tom, goes to the end of the roof to spy on the woman. Stanley makes a crude remark to the others, but Tom keeps what he sees to himself.
The second day, the men look for the woman as soon as they get on the roof. She is lying face down, naked save for little red bikini pants. When Stanley whistles, she looks up, but then ignores them again. Angered by her indifference, all three men whistle and yell. After Harry calms the other two, they go to work. The sun is even hotter than the day before. That afternoon, while Harry goes for supplies, the other two men scramble over the rooftop until they are looking straight down at the woman. Stanley whistles. She glances at them, then goes back to reading her book. Stanley, furious at her rejection, jeers and whistles, while Tom stands by, smiling apologetically, trying to say with his smile that he distances himself from his mate. He dreamed about her the previous night, and in his dream she was tender to him. When the three workers make their last trip to look at the woman before leaving for the day, Stanley is so angry that he threatens to report her to the police.
The third day is the hottest yet. Harry looks for the woman first, largely to forestall Stanley, and tells the others that she is not there. The men work in the basement. Before going home, however, they climb to the roof to see the woman. Tom thinks that if his mates were not there, he would cross over to her roof and talk to her. Then Stanley screams mockingly, startling her. The fourth day they work in the basement again, but go to the roof at lunchtime for air. The woman is not there. Tom feels betrayed, for in his latest dream she invited him into her bed. The fifth day is hotter still, but the men must work on the roof; there is nothing for them to do in the basement. At midday the woman emerges and goes to a secluded part of the roof. At the end of the day, Tom sees the woman, but tells Stanley that she is not there, thinking that by protecting her from Stanley, he is forming a bond with her.
The sixth morning feels like the hottest of all. The men delay their inevitable climb to the rooftop by accepting tea from Mrs. Pritchett, the lady who has lent them a blanket. After spending an hour at her kitchen table, they reluctantly go up to the roof. There they see the woman and resent her relaxed sunbathing while they work in the brutal heat. Stanley suddenly throws down his tools, goes to the edge of the roof, and starts whistling, screaming, and stamping his feet at the woman. Harry, realizing that Stanley's wild behavior might bring them real trouble, orders the other two men off the roof. Stanley and Harry leave, but Tom sees his chance to meet the woman. He slips into the woman's building, climbs to the roof, and stands before her, "grinning, foolish, claiming the tenderness he expected from her." Tom tries to talk to her, but she dismisses him abruptly and ignores him until he goes away.
Tom wakes up on the seventh day to a gray, drizzly morning. "Well, that's fixed you, hasn't it now?" he thinks viciously. "That's fixed you good and proper." The three men now have the roof to themselves, as they plan to finish the job by the end of the day.