Womanhood, Motherhood, and Femininity
The narrative delves into the complex relationships between mothers and daughters that largely mold their perception of womanhood. The middle-aged protagonist is the basis of this motherhood that comes with compromises in maintaining a certain identity. Leda made hard choices as a young mother that she coins herself as an ‘unnatural mother’ which highlights her struggles with parenthood. She subverts the mainstream standards of motherhood partly due to the inadequacies of her mother. The multiple generations of women with their daughters showcase the difficult nature of such relationships in conveying what a woman should be. Society imposes the construct that maternal instincts should be demonstrated by mothers without reservations. The novel attaches the notion that reconciling the female identity and motherhood is not usually a seamless endeavor.
Dealing with Unresolved Trauma
For Leda, all is well that she is on vacation in a coastal town with no familial responsibilities on her back. Divorced with grown children, her life as a mother and wife feel fulfilled with her career as the only focus now. However, the interaction with the young mother, Nina, forces her to confront her time as a young mother. The interest turns into an obsession as she delves deeper into her childhood that had its complications. Suddenly Leda apprehends that the past is far from gone with her old trauma manifesting in the present. As means to resolve this past, she attempts to account for her shortcomings as a mother by getting attached to the young family. The ethnic origin of the Neapolitan family causes Leda to see a resemblance to her family upending her healing process. Thus, the narrative focuses on the resentments and aggravations of mothers and daughters against each other.
Abandonment Issues
The detached attitude Leda assumes towards her familial origin and matrimonial family is a buildup from childhood. The flashbacks from moments that curated her identity flood back the more the interaction with the Neapolitan family escalates. For instance, the memory of Leda’s mother threatening to desert the family eventually causes the abandonment issues. This fear later manifests when she loses Bianca, the oldest daughter, on a beach intensifying her anxiety. She would also transfer this trauma to the children by abandoning them to pursue a career. In the present, the anxieties still exist, prompting her to interfere in the lives of the young family with their own domestic issues.
