The New Yorker: Fiction Ayşegül Savaş Reads Tessa Hadley
Dec 1, 2024
Ayşegül Savaş, a talented author known for her novels and essays, joins for a deep dive into Tessa Hadley's 'An Abduction.' They explore the emotional intricacies of teenage identity, focusing on the protagonist Jane's struggles between childhood freedom and adult expectations. Their discussion highlights the impact of neglect and societal pressures, alongside the contrast between imagined realities and lived experiences. The conversation also emphasizes how language shapes memory and identity, enriching the narrative's emotional depth.
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The Unnoticed Abduction
- The story's first line, "Jane Alsop was abducted when she was 15 and nobody noticed," immediately intrigues the reader.
- It introduces Jane's invisibility and foreshadows the story's focus on her unnoticed life drama.
Jane's In-Between State
- Jane is in between life stages, not fitting in with children or teenagers.
- This in-between state contributes to her lack of identity and makes her abduction even more poignant.
Internalized Insults
- Jane internalizes her family's dismissive comments, affecting her self-image.
- This explains why she cannot perceive her own beauty as seen by the boys.
