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TWU’s Jan Lermitte Examines the Relationship Between Gender and the Theology of Work Through the Life of Dorothy L. Sayers

"(Dorothy) Sayers argues that all human beings need a sense of purpose and some kind of work that is done as an act of worship to God. I believe she reveals through her life that commitment to family, to work, and to empowering other women to use their skills and knowledge to make a difference in society is foundational, Christian, human."
 

— Jan Lermitte, Instructor of English and Creative Writing, and BA Leadership


Professor Jan Lermitte teaches in the English and Creative Writing department at TWU and in the BA Leadership program for TWU GLOBAL. Her teaching and research focus on contemporary Canadian literary studies, with emphasis on depictions of Canadian involvement in WWI, especially by women and Indigenous Peoples. Her articles and reviews appear in journals such as Canadian Literature and international publications such as Transcanadiana: Polish Journal of Canadian Studies.  

Her recent research on Dorothy L. Sayers explores the relationship between gender, war, and the theology of work. Her approach emphasizes life-long learning through an interdisciplinary exploration of literature and the arts.

Professor Lermitte recently wrote a chapter, “Dorothy L. Sayers: War, Women, and Work,” in the book, The Inklings and Culture: A Harvest of Scholarship from the Inklings Institute of Canada, a collected volume coedited by TWU professors Dr. Monika Hilder, Dr. Sara Pearson, and Dr. Laura Van Dyke and newly published in 2021.

During Women’s History Month at TWU, we seek to hear from experts across campus about the influence of women in history and society. Here below, we hear from Professor Lermitte about her chapter, “Dorothy L. Sayers: War, Women, and Work,” and what it reveals about women in society.


Hi Professor Lermitte, what is most inspiring to you about Dorothy L. Sayers, and what does her life reveal about gender and work?

I am inspired by Sayers’ zest for life, her humour, her intellect, her dedication to her work, and to her profoundly Christian approach to life. As a British woman who is most recognized for her work written between WWI and II, Sayers’s work still has much to offer us. Not only did she write a series of entertaining and theologically rich detective novels, but she also wrote essays, plays, speeches, poetry, and translations, many of them while working full time in an advertising firm!   

In spite of her own personal struggles, which included having a child before marriage, living in poverty, marriage to a man with mental illness and alcoholism owing to war trauma, and pressure to provide financially for her family, Sayers tackled her work with enthusiasm and good humour. In fact, Sayers argues that all human beings need a sense of purpose and some kind of work that is done as an act of worship to God. I believe she reveals through her life that commitment to family, to work, and to empowering other women to use their skills and knowledge to make a difference in society is foundational, Christian, human.
 
Are the kinds of issues faced by Dorothy L. Sayers as a woman and a writer still relevant today?

Yes, I believe they are! The struggle for women to be recognized for their accomplishments is ongoing, not just in North America but globally; equal pay and opportunity in the work force are still denied women. Data shows that during the recent pandemic lockdowns, women more often left their jobs or worked at home to care for children and elders than did men. In Sayers’ case, she was forced to have her cousin raise her child so that she could support him financially, and ultimately support her husband as well. In several of her detective novels, Sayers depicts the loneliness, poverty, and social pressures that women of her day experienced in the aftermath of war. Despite these negative circumstances, these same female characters often show great resourcefulness, intelligence, and integrity (for example, Miss Climpson and Harriet Vane). These stories remind me that the issues Sayers depicts and faced are still relevant.    

In Sayers’ article, “The Human-Not-Quite-Human,” she criticizes the church for treating women differently than men; she argues that Jesus treated women with dignity and value, because he saw them as human beings who could be themselves without censure. She argues that this is something that the church has not always done well; in fact, she says that the church often treats women as though their feminine nature is deficient. For Sayers, women are human beings first and foremost—more like men than different. As such, they need meaningful work, each person doing the thing that he or she loves and is suited and equipped to do. I also recommend reading Sayers’ essay, “Are Women Human” which humorously—yet critically—approaches this topic.    
 
During Women’s History Month, what do you wish to highlight when it comes to women and work, or women and the arts?

I believe that women’s contributions to the arts are critical to the emotional and cultural health of our society; women artists have an important role to play as voices for peace, justice, and love.  

As I look at the genre of writing I have studied, contemporary works about Canada’s role in WWI and the role of women in general in wartime, I celebrate the recent publication of many books by women about women, both as fiction and non-fiction. I celebrate the women scholars and writers who are drawing on historical texts to tell broader, more inclusive stories about the role of women in Canada’s history.   

I also want to express my specific appreciation for the work of Indigenous women and women of colour for sharing their stories, which are often tragic and difficult, highlighting social and economic injustice. Many of these women have worked sacrificially to support their children and families in order to give them better lives. I am grateful to have the opportunity to study their work in the context of my Christian faith; this perspective gives me a sense of hope for our future. 


About Trinity Western University

Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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