New Books in Psychoanalysis cover image

New Books in Psychoanalysis

Emily Dinova, "The Antagonist" (Bruce Scivally, 2024)

Nov 20, 2024
Emily Dinova, an award-winning writer, actor, and martial artist, discusses her new novel, The Antagonist, which emerged from her experiences with trauma. She delves into how writing became a therapeutic outlet, helping her confront fears and destructive habits. Dinova’s characters embody various psychoanalytic themes, including repression and narcissism, showcasing the complexities of relationships and identity. She also connects her martial arts background to her writing journey, emphasizing the transformative power of creative expression.
49:44

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Emily Dinova's novel, The Antagonist, serves as a creative act of revenge that enabled her to confront and heal from childhood trauma.
  • The complex characters in the novel embody various psychoanalytic concepts, exploring themes of repression, identity, and the moral ambiguities of revenge and forgiveness.

Deep dives

The Journey of Writing as Healing

The writing process for the novel emerged during the quarantine as a mechanism for addressing unprocessed childhood trauma. The author, Emily Denova, emphasized that she chose to delve into her internal struggles rather than seek external validation or legal action against her past. Notably, she cited her writing as a fragmented yet transformative experience, one that confronted her fears and allowed her to piece together aspects of herself that had previously felt disjointed. This creative endeavor ultimately led to significant personal healing, allowing Emily to reclaim her narrative while providing insight into her psychological journey.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode