The New Yorker: Fiction cover image

Clare Sestanovich Reads Alice Munro

The New Yorker: Fiction

CHAPTER

Is It Appalling That Hercules Chooses Death or Life?

She has that moment of appalling love and recognition when her father recites a poem. It's hard for me to assess maybe you have a stronger idea whether he thinks he's choosing death or choosing life. And it's very unclear where the father is ending up. I do feel like this sort of profound unknowability of people is at the heart of this story.

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