This chapter delves into the speaker's academic journey in English and American Literature, intertwining their psychological interests with insights from 'Little Fires Everywhere.' Through the discussion, themes of empathy, ambition, and societal expectations emerge, particularly in relation to motherhood and personal identity. The chapter ultimately reflects on the dual nature of passion and the emotional complexities of parenthood, revealing how literature captures the intricacies of human experience.
My conversation with Celeste Ng is the first of two episodes on Little Fires Everywhere, where I’ll cover the book and the series. We talk about the writing process, the stories that we tell, and the stories that define us. We also cover how our hometowns shape us, how parenting is a shame minefield, and how we all have the power to mourn moments even while we’re in them. Celeste also fills us in on what she thinks about the series and what it felt like watching Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington create a show from her novel. I love this episode as a reader, as a writer, and as an observer of what it means to be human.
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