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Illustrated portrait of Bennett Wing

A character in Fear of Flying

Bennett Wing

Isadora’s second husband, a psychiatrist who represents both real partnership and feared confinement.

What they want in Isadora’s account

To continue his professional life and preserve a marriage whose unrest he does not experience in exactly the same way as Isadora.

The book

Cover of Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
Fear of FlyingErica Jong, 1973

Isadora Wing tests sexual fantasy, marriage, and freedom in a candid, feverish, and sharply self-mocking voice.

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At a glance

Profession
Psychiatrist
Marriage
Isadora’s second husband
Destination
Vienna conference

Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Bennett is intelligent, professional, and comparatively stable. His marriage to Isadora has genuine companionship as well as sexual and emotional distance.

He should not be reduced to the obstacle in a liberation plot. The novel uses him to test how much of confinement comes from marriage, a partner, social expectation, or Isadora’s own imagination.

How the book draws them

Appearance, manner, and tone — as the book sketches them, in our words.

  • Chinese American psychiatristThe portrait honors his stated identity without stereotype.
  • Early-1970s professional clothesHe looks competent but not stiff.
  • Calm observant gazeTraining and reserve shape his manner.
  • Contained postureHe contrasts Isadora’s restless energy.
  • Close engraved bustNo conference room or clinical props appear.
  • Muted teal accentA cool background suits his steadiness.
What happens to Bennett WingHow the book leaves them, what happened after, and what the record says. Open when you're ready.

Isadora returns toward Bennett after the affair, but the novel does not pretend their marriage can simply resume unchanged.

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If you like Erica Jong

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