ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION OF GENRE FEATURES IN DORIS LESSING’S SHORT STORIES

Abstract

the influence of modernist and postcolonial literary traditions on Lessing’s narrative techniques. Her stories reflect a deep engagement with issues such as gender identity, individual freedom, social constraints, and colonial experience This article explores the artistic representation of genre features in the short stories of Doris Lessing, one of the most influential literary figures of the twentieth century. The study focuses on how Lessing redefines and transforms the conventional boundaries of the short story genre through innovative narrative strategies, thematic complexity, and psychological depth. While traditional short stories often rely on linear plots, concise structures, and unified effects, Lessing’s works challenge these norms by introducing fragmented narration, open endings, and multi-layered perspectives. The research is grounded in qualitative literary analysis and examines selected short stories, including “To Room Nineteen,” “A Sunrise on the Veld,” and “The Habit of Loving.” These texts are analyzed in terms of their structural organization, thematic concerns, and stylistic devices. The article pays particular attention to the interaction between form and content, demonstrating how genre features are not only preserved but also artistically transformed in Lessing’s works.