Abstract: The portrayal of the protagonist as a writer and the narrative strategies employed in Henry James's “The Velvet Glove” (1909) and Edith Wharton's “Velvet Ear-Pads” (1926) represent the complex and dynamic interconnections among gender, class, and other factors in the literary field. “The Velvet Glove” and “Velvet Ear-Pads” create, respectively, the different images of both male and female writers and present the authors' reflections upon the theme of writers' identity construction. “The Velvet Glove” recounts how John Berridge, a figure of literary authority, imposes restrictions on Amy, a female writer, who attempts to seek her entry into in the literary field. “Velvet Ear-Pads” represents how a female playwright, Betsy, subverts Professor Hibbart's authority. James's story offers a thorough revelation of Berridge's belief in androcentrism and class bias, whereas Wharton's story, through its focus on Betsy and its subtle deployment of the Jamesian narrative frame and discourse, deconstructs the concept of androcentrism, thereby constructing its own narrative authority.

Key words: Henry James, Edith Wharton, "The Velvet Glove", "Velvet Ear-Pads", narrative authority