'Small Things Like These' draws from the true story of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries
Jan 8, 2025
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Claire Keegan, a celebrated author known for her novella 'Small Things Like These', discusses the painful legacy of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries. The conversation reveals Bill Furlong's emotional journey as he confronts historical injustices. Keegan reflects on the challenges of writing a male protagonist in a women-centered narrative while exploring themes of misogyny and agency. She also shares insights into her writing process, the significance of short storytelling, and how her rural upbringing fuels her creativity.
Claire Keegan's disciplined writing process emphasizes the importance of concise storytelling, ensuring every word in her narratives holds emotional weight.
The novella 'Small Things Like These' addresses societal injustices related to the Magdalene Laundries, highlighting a male protagonist's confrontation with hidden exploitation in his community.
Deep dives
The Writer's Process of Timeliness and Precision
Authors often grapple with knowing when a story is complete, and Claire Keegan's approach highlights her desire for precision in writing. She emphasizes the importance of paring down sentences to ensure that every word serves a purpose, avoiding any unnecessary embellishments. This ruthlessness in editing aligns with her belief that stories should be concise and impactful, resonating emotionally with readers. By constantly questioning her choices, she maintains a disciplined writing process that allows her to end stories when she feels she has conveyed enough without over-explaining.
Inspiration from Historical Injustice
Keegan's work, particularly in 'Small Things Like These,' draws on the painful legacy of the Magdalene Laundries, where women were subjected to exploitation. The novella's protagonist, Bill Furlong, represents a character who confronts the realities of this hidden injustice in his community, reflecting the struggles of those oppressed. Keegan is fascinated by the reluctance of individuals to address such injustices, revealing how societal power dynamics, particularly the stronghold of the church, silenced many voices. This thematic focus on hope and courage amid despair allows readers to engage with broader issues of misogyny and social responsibility.
The Short Form and Tension in Storytelling
Keegan expresses a preference for the shorter form of storytelling, believing that it captures emotional intensity in a way that longer narratives cannot sustain. She relates her writing to poetry, enjoying concise expression and the construction of paragraphs that flow from well-crafted sentences. Her dedication to creating tension within her narratives stems from a desire to engage readers with relatable themes of loss and yearning. As she prepares to embark on her next project—a novel inspired by her upbringing on a farm—Keegan remains committed to exploring the complexities of human experience through her succinct storytelling style.
Small Things Like These is a novella by Claire Keegan that centers around Bill Furlong, an Irish coal merchant who discovers exploitation at a local convent. The story is based on the real-life history of the Magdalene Laundries, workhouses where Irish girls and women were forced into unpaid labor. Keegan's book, originally published in 2021, was adapted to film in the fall of 2024. In today's episode, we revisit a conversation between Keegan and Here & Now's Deborah Becker. They discuss the author's interest in the novella form and why she chose to write a women-centered story with a male protagonist.
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