The New Yorker: Fiction Jennifer Egan Reads Lore Segal
Nov 19, 2010
Jennifer Egan, acclaimed author of "A Visit from the Goon Squad," reads and discusses Lore Segal's poignant short story "The Reverse Bug." They delve into themes of migration, justice, and the moral complexities of history, drawing connections between personal narratives and collective trauma. The conversation highlights how humor intertwines with tragedy, revealing deep emotional insights. Egan also explores the role of immigrant stories in understanding past atrocities, challenging listeners to rethink issues of identity and accountability.
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Jennifer Egan's selection
- Jennifer Egan chose Lore Segal's "The Reverse Bug", published in 1989.
- This story particularly resonated with Egan because of a shocking event in the middle.
Recurring character and intellectual problem
- The main character, Ilka, is recurring in Segal's work, including a story collection and a novel.
- Egan appreciates the story's dramatization of an intellectual problem.
Ilka's background and the story's intellectual core
- Ilka, like Segal, is a European émigré who escaped the Holocaust and teaches English to immigrants.
- The story presents an intellectual problem early on and manifests it dramatically.
