Happy Spiders

Shulamit Lapid’s choice of subjects and characters is untypical of women writers in Israel, or for that matter, most male writers. In the social reality she describes, disadvantaged characters, women or children, try to survive and to fight for their rights. Her stories are peopled by slum children who try to extricate themselves from social backwardness and join mainstream society, as well as some who choose to base their lives on the cycle of crime and violence. Lapid’s women are strong, often stronger than the men, and refuse to be victims. They rebel against their traditional roles, are noted for their free spirits and do exactly as they please. In the story “Nina of the Horses,” a woman follows her own path, takes young soldiers into her bed, lies to everyone, is unfaithful to her husband and betrays one and all. Lapid neither criticizes not judges her characters. These women seek to avenge themselves on those who try to exploit them and tamper with their freedom. This is particularly noticeable in the story “Forced Landing” (a play on words in Hebrew), in which a woman gets revenge by brutally raping a man.