"It will be a pity if women in the more conventional mould are to be phased out, for there will never be anyone to go home to"

This quote by Anita Brookner speaks with the significance of standard gender functions in society. Brookner is suggesting that if females in the more conventional mould are phased out, there will be nobody to go home to. This implies that the traditional functions of ladies as housewives and caretakers are necessary to the functioning of society. Brookner is suggesting that without these roles, there will be a void in society that can not be filled. She is likewise suggesting that these functions are important for the psychological wellbeing of individuals, as having somebody to go house to is a source of convenience and security. Brookner's quote is a pointer of the value of traditional gender functions in society and the requirement to acknowledge and appreciate them.