Women as objects in A Woman on the Roof "A Woman on the Roof" by Doris Lessing allows us to understand how some men see women: as simple objects to be exhibited and possessed . Lessing shows how each of the male characters reacts and deals with rejection from a woman sunbathing on a nearby rooftop. We discover how three men's preoccupation with sex keeps them unaware of how unwanted their advances may be and unaware of the possible consequences of their actions. All three men share a desire to get this woman's attention. Working on the roof of an apartment building under the scorching sun, these men seek a diversion from the relentless heat. They whistle, shout and wave at a nearly naked woman on a nearby rooftop, but the woman pays them no attention. Their isolation on the roof and the woman's relentless indignation fuel the men's descent into a world of lewd behavior, thus creating an atmosphere of harassment and rejection. They are "tried" by this woman's indifference towards them. All three men have markedly different attitudes towards the situation they have created. Everyone has experienced rejection from women. In fact, everyone shows a level of harshness that influences their attitude. Each of them reacts differently to the woman's indifference, and each brings their efforts to different levels. Tom, the youngest, represents a primary level, a man untouched by rejection. Stanley, the instigator, clearly secondary to Tom, shows a man slightly touched by the rejection. Stanley hates the blows of rejection dealt to his manhood. Harry, on the other hand, represents a final level in which he considers the presence of the woman trivial. He has been married for a long time and perhaps has suffered a lot of humiliation regarding the frowning looks of women....... half of the paper... showed "lessons learned" in their attitudes. They knew when to quit. Tom took his wild actions to the hilt because he didn't know any better. The men return to work the next day with a new distraction in mind. The weather has suddenly changed and is no longer attractive for swimmers. Without the presence of the woman on the roof there are no sexual thoughts to worry them. For Tom and Stanley, the consequences of their actions are forgotten and are only evident in their new levels of understanding. Works Cited Allen, Orphia J., Short Story Criticism. Vol 16. Ed. Tommaso Vottler. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Co., 1990.Atack, Margaret., Short Story Criticism. Vol 6. Ed. Thomas Vottler. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Co., 1990. Leasing, Doris. "A woman on the roof." The fiction of the Harper anthology. Ed. Silvano Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1981.